Amsler Grid Test
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Amsler grid distortion examples

What a normal grid looks like, and eight ways it can look different when the macula is affected.

These are drawings made to explain the words people use. What you see may look different. Any change that is new for you is worth a call to your eye doctor.

NormalEvery line is straight and unbroken. Every square is the same size. All four corners are visible.
Mild distortionOne or two lines bend slightly in a small area, often near the center. Easy to miss, so check slowly.
Wavy linesLines ripple or bow across part of the grid. Doctors call this metamorphopsia.
Blurry areaA patch where the lines are smeared or faint while the rest stays sharp.
Dark spotA gray or dark patch covers part of the grid. A blind spot like this is called a scotoma.
Missing areasLines stop and start again, or a corner is not there. The gap may look blank, not dark.
Squares look smallerSquares near the center seem squeezed together. This is called micropsia.
Squares look largerSquares near the center seem stretched or swollen. This is called macropsia.

Take the Amsler grid test

What a normal Amsler grid looks like

Hold the grid 12 to 14 inches (30 to 35 cm) away, cover one eye and look at the center dot. With a healthy macula:

  • all the lines look straight;
  • all the squares look the same size and shape;
  • you can see all four corners and sides;
  • no area is blurry, dark or empty.

The lines far from the dot look a little less sharp than the ones near it. That is normal: only the center of your vision sees fine detail.

What an abnormal Amsler grid looks like

There are three main kinds of change, and they can appear together:

  • Distortion. Lines look wavy, bent or kinked, or squares look smaller or larger than their neighbors. This happens when the light-sensing cells of the macula are pushed out of position, for example by fluid under or inside the retina.
  • Blur. One area is smeared while the rest is sharp.
  • Loss. Part of the grid is dark, gray, faded or simply not there.

Mild distortion

Early changes are often small: a single line with a slight kink, or two or three squares that look uneven. Mild distortion matters as much as severe distortion if it is new. Report it. Marking the squares on the online test makes it easier to tell next time whether the area has grown.

What to do if your grid looks like one of these

If the change is new, or different from your last check, call your eye doctor right away, the same day if you can. Say that you use an Amsler grid and describe what you saw and in which eye.

If you have had the same distortion for a long time and your doctor already knows about it, keep testing as advised and report any change in its size or shape. More in Amsler grid test results and wavy lines on the Amsler grid.

Questions about distortion

What does the Amsler grid look like with macular degeneration?

It varies. In wet macular degeneration lines often look wavy or bent and a blurry or dark patch may appear near the center. In advanced dry macular degeneration there may be a blank or dim area. Early macular degeneration often leaves the grid looking normal.

Is mild distortion on the Amsler grid serious?

It can be. A small new distortion can be the first sign of fluid under the macula. The size of the distortion does not tell you how urgent it is, so report any new change to your eye doctor right away.

Do wavy lines always mean macular degeneration?

No. A macular pucker, a macular hole, diabetic macular edema, central serous retinopathy and other conditions can also bend the lines. All of them need an eye exam. See wavy lines on the Amsler grid.

I see floaters while I look at the grid. Is that abnormal?

Floaters are specks or threads that drift when your eye moves. They are common and are not what the grid checks for. A sudden shower of new floaters, flashes of light or a curtain over part of your vision is an emergency: get eye care the same day.

The whole grid is slightly blurry. Is that a problem?

Even blur across the whole grid usually means the grid is too close or too far for your glasses. Put on your reading glasses and check the distance. A blurry patch in one area, with the rest sharp, is different and should be reported.