When you go to a Retina Specialist with symptoms, you will be tested for AMD. The vision in each eye is examined separately.
Distortions in vision are detected through a simple test using the Amsler grid. The retina specialist will look for signs of scotoma (blind spots) and visual distortions, which may appear as breaks, blurry areas, black spots, waviness, missing portions of the lines of the grid, or wavy or crooked lines when viewing the grid. Proper use of the Amsler grid allows for detection of very subtle changes in your vision, which occur even when there is a small amount of fluid under your macula.
The Amsler grid can also be used at home. To perform the Amsler grid test yourself, follow these steps:
- Wear your reading glasses. If you wear bifocals, use the bottom reading portion.
- Attach the Amsler grid to a wall at eye level and stand at a comfortable reading distance away from it.
- Cover one eye. With the other eye, look at the center dot on the Amsler grid.
- The first time you observe the grid, mark any gray, blurry, or blank spots, or any distorted areas.
- Every morning, look at the same center dot. If you notice any new areas of distortion, wavy lines, or enlargement of the blank spots toward the center, instead of straight lines, call your Retinal Specialist to make an urgent appointment. The reason it’s urgent is because you don’t want to risk having new blood vessels that might bleed and cause scarring and permanent vision loss.
