Hi Angela
I'm glad you are enjoying the topic. Both my mother and grandmother were keen embroiderers as well, and I do remember when Grandma had to put her stitching aside because she just couldn't see any more.
On the other hand, up until the week before my mum died at age 72, she was embroidering (I have her last unfinished piece).
Even with me, at 44, I can tell my eyes are not what they were and I'm having to use a magnifiying light on some very fine work.