Amsler grid test
Check your central vision at home in about a minute. The grid is drawn at true size, one eye at a time, and your results stay on your device.
Before you start
If your vision changed suddenly, do not wait for a test. Call an eye doctor today.
- Wear the glasses you normally read with. With bifocals, look through the reading part.
- Sit in good, even light, with no glare on the screen.
- Hold the screen 12 to 14 inches (30 to 35 cm) from your eyes. Use the same distance every time.
- Set your screen size so the grid is drawn at true size.
Right eye
Cover your left eye.
Look at the center dot and keep looking at it. Notice the grid without moving your eye.
While you look at the dot, check four things
- Can you see all four corners and all four sides of the grid?
- Are all the lines straight?
- Are all the squares the same size?
- Is any area blurry, dark or missing?
Mark what you see
Choose a kind, then tap or drag over the squares where it happens. If everything looks normal, mark nothing.
Your result
- Wavy or bent
- Blurry
- Missing or dark
- Numbers are squares marked.
Past results
Results are stored only in this browser, on this device.
This is a self-check, not an eye exam. It can miss early changes and cannot diagnose any condition.
What you might see
With healthy central vision, every line is straight and every square is the same size. Changes in the macula can make lines look wavy, or leave a blurry, dark or empty patch.
How to do the Amsler grid test
- Put on your reading glasses. Wear whatever you normally read with. With bifocals, look through the reading part.
- Set the screen size. Screens differ, so hold a bank card against the screen and match the outline once. After that the grid is drawn at its true size, with squares of 5 mm.
- Hold the screen 12 to 14 inches (30 to 35 cm) away in good light. Use the same distance every time you test.
- Cover one eye. Look at the center dot with the other eye and keep looking at it.
- Notice the grid without moving your eye. Are all the lines straight? Are all the squares the same size? Can you see all four corners? Is any area blurry, dark or missing?
- Mark what you see, then repeat with the other eye.
The full walk-through, with the common mistakes, is in how to use an Amsler grid.
If something looks wrong
If lines look wavy, blurry or broken, or part of the grid is dark or missing, and this is new or has changed, call your eye doctor right away, the same day if you can. Do not wait to see whether it goes away. Some causes are treatable only if they are caught early.
Wavy lines do not always mean macular degeneration, and a normal grid does not prove your eyes are healthy. Read what the results mean.
What this test adds to a paper grid
- True size without a printer. One card match sets the scale on any phone, tablet or computer.
- Marking. Tap the squares that look wavy, blurry or missing, separately for each eye.
- Comparing. Each result is saved on your device, and the next test tells you whether anything changed.
- Something to show your doctor. Download both marked grids as one image, or print them.
- Reminders. Add a daily or weekly reminder to your calendar.
- Grid choices. Black on white, white on black or red on black, with optional diagonal lines and thicker lines for low vision.
Prefer paper? Use the printable Amsler grid, which also comes in large print.
What the grid can and cannot do
The Amsler grid checks the central 20 degrees of your vision, the part you use for reading and for faces. It is a way to notice change between eye exams. It does not replace them. Studies find that the grid misses a share of early disease, so keep your regular appointments even when the grid looks normal. More in how accurate is the Amsler grid?
Amsler grid questions
What is an Amsler grid?
A square grid of straight lines with a dot in the middle, 10 cm on each side. You look at the dot with one eye and notice whether any lines look wavy, blurry or missing. Eye doctors give it to people at risk of macular disease to use at home. See what is an Amsler grid?
What does the Amsler grid test for?
It checks for changes in the macula, the central part of the retina. Distorted lines or missing areas can be a sign of wet macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, a macular pucker or hole, and some other conditions. It does not diagnose any of them. It tells you when to call an eye doctor.
How do I use the Amsler grid test?
Wear your reading glasses, hold the grid 12 to 14 inches (30 to 35 cm) away in good light, cover one eye and look at the center dot. Without moving your eye, notice whether any lines look wavy, blurry, dark or missing. Then repeat with the other eye.
Can I do the Amsler grid test on my phone?
Yes, if the grid is drawn at the right size. This test asks you to match a bank card once so the squares are a true 5 mm. A phone screen is narrower than the full 10 cm grid, so it checks a smaller area. A tablet, a computer or the printed grid shows all of it. More in Amsler grid on a phone.
How often should I use an Amsler grid?
Follow your eye doctor's advice. The American Academy of Ophthalmology suggests every day for people with macular degeneration, and some other organizations suggest once a week. See how often to test.
What does a normal Amsler grid look like?
While you look at the center dot, all lines are straight and unbroken, all squares are the same size, you can see all four corners, and no area is blurry, dark or blank.
What should I do if the lines look wavy?
Call your eye doctor right away and say what you saw and when it started. New waviness can be a sign of fluid or bleeding under the macula, which is treated best when caught early. See wavy lines on the Amsler grid.
Should I wear my glasses for the test?
Yes. Wear the glasses you normally read with. With bifocals, look through the reading part. Progressive lenses can bend lines near the edge of the lens, so use single-vision reading glasses if you have them.
Why do I have to cover one eye?
With both eyes open, the stronger eye fills in for the weaker one and a problem can go unnoticed. Testing each eye alone is the whole point of the grid.
How long should I look at the grid?
A few seconds of steady looking for each eye is enough, and the whole check takes about a minute. Staring for a long time does not help. Any pattern can seem to fade when you stare at it, and that is normal.
Can an online Amsler grid diagnose macular degeneration?
No. Only an eye exam can diagnose macular degeneration. The grid, on paper or on a screen, is a way to notice changes between exams so you can report them quickly.
Is my result sent anywhere?
No. The marks and past results are stored only in your browser, on your device. You choose whether to download or print them.