What is the Amsler test used for?
The Amsler Grid is a square-shaped grid used to detect or monitor metamorphopsia or scotoma involving the central visual field in various disorders of the macula and optic nerve head.
How can you test for macular degeneration at home?
How to Use the Amsler Grid at Home
- Hold the chart at a comfortable reading distance (generally, about 12-14 inches away). Wear your reading glasses if you normally use them.
- Cover one eye and focus on the black dot in the middle of the grid.
- Cover the other eye and repeat the test.
How do you test for macular degeneration?
To help diagnose macular degeneration, an ophthalmologist or optometrist will perform a comprehensive eye exam that may include the following tests:
- Autofluorescence.
- Dilated Eye Exam.
- Fundoscopy or Ophthalmoscopy.
- Visual Acuity Test or Eye Chart Test.
- Fluorescein Angiography.
- Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)
- Tonometry.
How accurate is the Amsler test?
The Amsler chart has been shown to indicate the presence of scotomas in about 2% of control subjects without any scotoma. More significantly, the sensitivity of the Amsler chart has been shown to be as low as 56% in one study when compared to the more accurate method of fundus microperimetry.
What part of the eye is damaged in macular degeneration?
The condition develops as the eye ages. Dry macular degeneration affects the macula — an area of the retina that’s responsible for clear vision in your direct line of sight. Over time, tissue in your macula may thin and lose cells responsible for vision.
How do I test my Amsler grid?
Hold the Amsler grid approximately 14 to 16 inches from your eyes. Test each eye separately: Cup your hand over one eye while testing the other eye. Keep your eye focused on the dot in the center of the grid and answer these questions: Do any of the lines in the grid appear wavy, blurred or distorted?
What is an AMD test?
With this test, your eye doctor injects fluorescent dye into your arm, which shows leaking blood vessels in your eyes or other changes to your retina that may be a sign of advanced AMD.