How it works
Turn what you see into something you can show
Many eye problems are easy to notice and hard to describe. amslerview lets you draw it instead: you change a clean grid until it looks the way your eye sees it.
What the Amsler grid is
The Amsler grid is a square of evenly spaced lines with a dot in the middle. Eye doctors have used it for decades. You cover one eye, look at the dot, and notice whether any lines look bent, wavy, missing, blurred or darker than the rest. Held about 30–35 cm away, each square covers roughly one degree of your central vision.
Before you start
- Wear the glasses you normally use for reading or screen work.
- Use a screen in good, even light. Turn brightness up if the page looks dim.
- Hold the screen about 30–35 cm from your eyes. A tablet or laptop works better than a small phone.
- Cover one eye with your palm, without pressing on it.
Step 1: rebuild each eye
The tool shows two grids. Look at the reference grid with the eye you are describing. Then cover that eye and look at the adjustable grid with your other eye. Move the sliders until the adjustable grid looks like what you saw. Comparing with the other eye keeps the result honest.
- Overall shift moves the whole image. Look at the reference dot and switch eyes a few times: if the dot jumps, move the image as far as it jumps.
- Bent or wavy lines bends one area. Open it, tap where the bend is, then set its direction, size and waviness.
- Dark or grey patch adds a darker area. Open it, then tap where the patch is.
- Dimmer or tinted covers an eye that sees things dimmer or with a different tint.
A faint blue copy of the normal grid sits under the adjustable one, so you can see how far you have moved things. You can turn it off.
Step 2: both eyes together
The tool lays the two eyes' images on top of each other. Where they match, you see one clean image. Where they split, you see double: two dots, two lines of text, four eyes on a face, four headlights instead of two. Switch between the grid, a paragraph of text, a face on a TV and a night road to find the view closest to daily life.
Step 3: show it
- Download image saves one picture with the left eye, the right eye and both eyes side by side, plus a written summary. Bring it to your appointment or send it ahead.
- Copy summary gives you the same description as text.
- Save in this browser keeps the settings so you can compare later or let someone else try.
What this tool is not
amslerview is a way to communicate. It is not a medical test, it does not measure anything precisely, and it cannot tell you what is causing a change. Screen sizes differ, and the result depends on how you set it. Your eye doctor will examine you properly.
If you notice a new or sudden change in your vision, such as a new dark patch, a curtain over part of your view, flashes or a rapid loss of sight, contact an eye doctor or emergency service promptly. Do not wait to use this tool.