Lines looked wavy. How urgent is it?

New distortion is a call-today finding: call us for a same-day exam, or go to an emergency room when we’re closed if it appeared suddenly or with a dark patch. We hold same-day urgent slots: 310-828-2010.

What conditions does the grid catch?

Anything that disturbs the macula: macular degeneration (dry and wet), central serous retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, macular holes and puckers.

My grid is normal. Am I in the clear?

It’s reassuring, not a clearance. Early disease can show on an OCT scan before it distorts the grid, which is why the yearly dilated exam stays on the calendar.

Why does only one eye show distortion?

Macular disease is often asymmetric — and the brain papers over one eye’s defect when both are open. That’s exactly why the test is done one eye at a time.

How often should I test?

Monthly if you’re in a risk group, and any time vision seems off. The grid is most useful as a check against your own baseline.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Kevin Cohenmehr, OD Last reviewed October 26, 2026

The Amsler grid self-test.

A one-minute check that catches macular distortion before you’d otherwise notice.

The Amsler grid is the classic home test for the macula — the central patch of retina that does your reading and face-recognition. Straight lines should look straight; when they bend, blur or vanish, the macula is asking for attention.

One eye at a time

Test each eye.

01Doing it properly

The test is only as good as the technique.

Four rules from our optometrists in Los Angeles make the result meaningful — and a monthly rhythm makes it useful, because macular change announces itself as new distortion compared to last time.

01
Distance & light: Hold the screen about 14 inches (35 cm) away in good light, wearing your reading correction.
02
One eye at a time: Cover the other eye fully. With both open, one eye’s good image papers over the other’s distortion.
03
Fix on the dot: Keep your gaze on the center dot and judge the lines with your side vision. Looking around defeats the test.
04
Who should test monthly: Anyone over 60, diabetics, high myopes, and anyone with macular degeneration or a family history of it.

Common questions

The grid, answered.

Anything else, call the office at 310-828-2010.

New distortion is a call-today finding: call us for a same-day exam, or go to an emergency room when we’re closed if it appeared suddenly or with a dark patch. We hold same-day urgent slots: 310-828-2010.
Anything that disturbs the macula: macular degeneration (dry and wet), central serous retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, macular holes and puckers.
It’s reassuring, not a clearance. Early disease can show on an OCT scan before it distorts the grid, which is why the yearly dilated exam stays on the calendar.
Macular disease is often asymmetric — and the brain papers over one eye’s defect when both are open. That’s exactly why the test is done one eye at a time.
Monthly if you’re in a risk group, and any time vision seems off. The grid is most useful as a check against your own baseline.

Go deeper

If something looked off, don’t wait.

New distortion on an Amsler grid deserves a dilated exam with OCT imaging promptly — we keep same-day urgent slots for exactly this.

Book a Medical Eye Exam Or call 310-828-2010