Amsler Grid and DMLA

What is DMLA?

Related macular degeneration in the Age is a degenerative disease of the retina of chronic evolution that begins after the age of 50.
It selectively affects the macular region, ie the central area of ​​the retina, causing progressive loss of central vision. She usually leaves intact the peripheral or side vision.

AMD means égénérescence D L M aculaire iee to the GE, that is to say an age too quickly the macula.
AMD can lead to loss of central vision, leaving peripheral vision intact normally.
It is a chronic, progressive illness. According to the World Health Organization, is a chronic health problem that requires treatment for many years.

The macula is the center of the retina. It provides central vision: it is on this that forms the image of the object you are viewing.

The eye is the organ of vision.

• The cornea is the outer part of the eye. Its main functions are to protect the eye against micro-organisms, transmission and refraction of light.
• The iris (responsible for eye color) modulates the amount of light reaching the retina is more or less the grand opening of the pupil opening in the middle of the iris.
• The lens is responsible for accommodation (the loss of accommodation with age is called presbyopia, the clouding of the lens is called cataract).
• The retina, which lines the back of the eye, transforms the received images into nerve signals that it transmits to the brain via the optic nerve.

The macula occupies the central part of the retina in a small area (diameter 2 mm) directly in the optical axis. It transmits 90% of visual information processed by the brain.
It is very rich in cells responsible for visual acuity (perception of fine detail) and color vision (cones).

AMD can occur as young as 50 years.
Its diagnosis is often made from 10 to 15 years later.

There are two progressive forms of AMD, the atrophic form (or "dry") and exudative (or "wet"), which have the same effect on vision but operate at different speeds.

• AMD "dry" or atrophic is by far the most common. This form progresses slowly but inexorably to a severe loss of visual acuity.
  It is characterized by the gradual disappearance of pigment epithelial cells of the retina.
  Today, antioxidant supplementation is advocated to slow its progression: a notice to ask your eye doctor.
• Wet AMD and "wet" form is less common. It is characterized by the formation of new blood vessels ("neovascularization") in the retina, thus impeding vision.
  Its evolution can be particularly rapid, resulting in a loss of central vision within weeks to years.
  For this form of treatment options may exist. Indeed, effective treatments, prescribed and administered by a specialist in ophthalmology, have been marketed in recent years.

You have a macular degeneration and your eye doctor recommends that you monitor your macular visual function using a grid. This grid is a square of 10 x 10 cm grid of 19 horizontal and vertical lines spaced 5 mm. Its center is marked by a dot. You can make yourself and your ophthalmologist can provide you with a copy.

How to use an Amsler grid:

The review is carried out regularly, each eye separately (the other is hidden), starting with the best, wearing glasses to correct visual reading at 30 cm under good lighting. Examination requirements must be always the same.

How self-examination?

This is to set the center point of the grid while observing at the same time and all the details of the network:

• you see the central point: it can be plainly seen and the lines around undeformed; all other lines and edges of the square are perceived: the test is normal
• you see the central point: it may appear cloudy and the lines around distorted. You do not stop to fix it and you try to retain all the imperfections that you notice.
• You do not see a central point where it appears only when you look aside: you draw the two diagonals of the square and observation can help you locate the position of the mental center.

After your exam, try to note as accurately as possible all the anomalies detected: the invisible, which is visible but seem poorly printed, localized changes in size (smaller or larger), the deformations from the center to the periphery. Ideally, you copy the anomalies on tracing paper, taking care to note the eye examined and the examination date.
Repeat the test until a certainty if there is a recent anomaly and confirmed, contact your ophthalmologist.