You just found out your mom or dad has AMD. They're scared. You're scared. And if they're a reader — if books have been part of their life for decades — the idea of losing that feels unbearable. This page is for you, right now, in this moment.
Macular degeneration affects central vision — the sharp, focused vision you use to read, recognize faces, and see detail. Peripheral vision usually stays intact.
In early stages, your parent might notice words getting blurry, or needing brighter light to read. They might hold a book at an odd angle to catch text with their peripheral vision without realizing they're doing it.
In later stages, there's a blind spot in the centre of vision. Standard print becomes impossible. But "impossible to read standard print" is not the same as "impossible to read." That distinction matters enormously.
The Canadian National Institute for the Blind isn't just for people who are fully blind. They serve anyone with significant vision loss, including AMD.
Call 1-800-563-2642 or visit cnib.ca. Ask about:
This one call opens more doors than anything else on this list.
Your local library has a large print section — books printed at 16–18pt instead of the standard 10–12pt. For early to moderate AMD, large print is often enough to keep someone reading comfortably.
You don't need a diagnosis or referral. Just walk in and borrow them. Most library websites let you filter by "large print" in the catalogue.
See our guide to free large print books in Canada for more options.
CELA (Centre for Equitable Library Access) provides free accessible books to Canadians with print disabilities — which includes AMD. Register through your local library or contact CELA directly:
CELA gives access to thousands of audiobooks and accessible ebooks. It's free and it's specifically designed for people in your parent's situation.
An e-reader lets your parent set the font size to whatever they need — 24pt, 32pt, larger. Unlike a physical book, the text adapts to them.
In Canada, Kobo is the better choice for most people because it lets you borrow library ebooks for free. A Kindle can't do this in Canada.
See our Kobo vs Kindle for low vision comparison for details, or jump to our Kobo setup guide if you've already bought one.
The physical buttons matter. If your parent has limited dexterity, tapping a touchscreen accurately gets frustrating. The Libra has buttons on the side for page turns. It also has adjustable warm light, dark mode (white text on black — many AMD readers prefer this), and every font/spacing control you'd want.
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A magnifier can extend the life of regular-print reading. Start simple: a handheld LED magnifier ($25–$40 CAD on Amazon.ca) lets your parent read mail, labels, and books with extra magnification.
For heavier reading, a stand magnifier sits on the page so they don't have to hold it. And for advanced needs, electronic magnifiers (CCTV/video magnifiers) can display text on a screen at 36pt or larger — well beyond what any printed book offers.
Ontario's ADP (Assistive Devices Program) covers 75% of the cost of low vision aids including electronic magnifiers. Ask CNIB about provincial funding in your area.
See our magnifier guide and vision aid technology guide for specific product recommendations.
Audiobooks aren't giving up. They're adapting. Many AMD readers alternate between visual reading (when eyes are fresh) and audiobooks (when eyes are tired). That's smart reading, not lazy reading.
Free options in Canada:
For a full breakdown: audiobooks guide for Canadian readers.
Standard large print books are 16–18pt. For many AMD readers, that works fine for years. But if your parent's vision progresses to where 18pt is too small, the options don't end — they shift.
Our reading progression guide maps out each stage and what tools work best at each level of vision loss.
Eccentric viewing is a skill where you learn to read using your peripheral vision instead of your damaged central vision. It sounds weird. It works.
CNIB and Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada teach this. The basic idea: instead of looking directly at a word, you look slightly to the side of it, letting it fall on a healthy part of your retina. With practice, it becomes natural.
Combined with large print or magnified text, eccentric viewing can extend someone's reading ability significantly. Ask about it when you call CNIB.
Some practical things that help beyond reading:
Phone: 1-800-563-2642 · cnib.ca
Low vision assessments, rehabilitation, technology training, support groups, free library. The single most important call you can make.
Phone: 1-855-655-2273 · celalibrary.ca
Free accessible books (audio and digital) for Canadians with print disabilities. Register through your library.
visionlossrehab.ca
In-home rehabilitation services, eccentric viewing training, help with daily living skills. Available across Canada.
Covers 75% of the cost of prescribed low vision aids including electronic magnifiers. Other provinces have similar programs — ask CNIB about funding in your province.
The fact that you searched for this page means you care. You're trying to help someone you love keep doing something they love. That matters.
Start with CNIB and the library. Those two steps alone open up more options than most families realize exist. The rest — e-readers, magnifiers, technology — can come later, one step at a time.
Your parent can keep reading. The format will change. The experience doesn't have to.