150% zoom level is your friend.

that's me.

and my experience of the web has been painful for the past 5 to 6 years. it feels like no one cares about zoom level or accessibility...

For me (still sub-40 for a few more years) font-sizes on the web are fine. It’s only HN with it’s "superior" design where I have to zoom in.

I'll go out on a limb and say you have turned 40 in the past 5 to 6 years.