Reading Comfortably with Low Vision

I enjoy reading very much, but with limited vision it has proven to be fatiguing, especially over extended periods. Dealing with physical books is difficult because I have to get very close to small print to be able to see it. And for me, most print is quite small and hard to read. Holding up a normal sized print close to my face gets tiring after a while.

Larger print books take up a lot of space, weigh more, and can be more expensive if they are available to purchase at all. Audio books are wonderful, but actually reading is more desirable most of the time.

For years, I strained my eyes under less than ideal conditions just to be able to enjoy a book. After a long day of hunching over to see things, I’d want to relax with a book but even reading for fun was taxing.

After much experimentation, I’ve found a set up that works well for me. I enjoy it so much I wanted to share with others. It involves a larger 10.2 inch Kindle eBook reader, a tablet stand with an adjustable arm, and a wirelsss page turner.

eBooks have helped immensely. I’ve used every Amazon Kindle from the first version to the latest Kindle Scribe. There are other ebook devices and platforms but none offer the selection found on the Kindle, which even has the ability to get ebooks from public libraries.

Useful Kindle Accessibility Features

The biggest benefit of eBooks is being able to adjust the font face, size, and weight.

Recent Kindle devices also have a dark mode option.

I have two kindles

• A large Kindle Scribe with a 10.2 inch screen
• A smaller Kindle Paperwhite with a 6.8 inch screen

The Kindle Scribe has a pencil that can be used to take notes or highlight text. The smaller Kindle Paperwhite is exclusively for travel and transit. It can be tossed in a bag and read with one hand.

I’ve wanted to find a way to relax and read a book without just using audio books and closing my eyes, only to inevitably fall asleep.

Large Kindle Scribe + Stand + Page Turner

The setup allows me to read sitting or laying down and get the book as close as needed, while being able to rest the hands as desired, only needing to hold the small page turning button. I’ve read countless hours with this combination of devices with very little eye fatigue. It’s been great to get completely absorbed in books again.

Bookshare by Benetech

If you have a qualifying disability, I’d encourage you to check out the BookShare program by Benetech. For a small yearly free (or free for students), you can read books from an increasingly large collection.