Yeah, I have to hold books at arm's length these days, too.
Do you use any magnification at all? If you don't, I recommend it. I've used an OptiVisor for about 15 years now, and I started using cheap, non-prescription reading glasses a couple of years ago, too. When I first bought myself the visor, I wished right away that I had done so 5 years before. Both the visor and the glasses make it possible for me to hold work at the same distance from my eyes that I always have, with my elbows bent, and my hands about 9 inches or so away.