1. Hold the Amsler grid at your normal reading distance while wearing your reading glasses.

 2. Cover one eye and focus on the center dot with the other eye.

 3. Look for any distortion, missing segments of lines, blurred or gray areas, or black spots on the grid.

 4. If any of these areas are new, call your retinal specialist or eye doctor and inform him/her of the grid changes.

5. Repeat the procedure for the other eye.

 

What is an Amsler grid used for?

The grid is used to check for changes in the central vision of one eye at a time. It is used because it is more sensitive for picking up distortion of the vision than most daily visual activities.

 

How do I use an Amsler grid?

You should wear your reading glasses (if you use these), cover your left eye and hold the grid at your usual reading distance. Stare directly at the center dot with your right eye for a few seconds. Repeat this for your other eye. If any lines appear missing or crooked/wavy, or if dark spots are visible on the grid, this could be a sign of a problem. You do not need to look at the grid more than once per day, and don’t need to stare at it for more than 5-10 seconds with each eye. The grid is most useful if looked at once each day, to compare the appearance of the grid day-to-day. If there is a sudden change in the appearance of the grid from one day to the next, call your retinal specialist or eye doctor right away.