I love picking out greeting cards for my friends and family and receiving cards for birthdays and holidays with lovely messages inside. As my vision has declined and changed over the years, I have passed along tips and suggestions for choosing greeting cards for visually impaired recipients like me to several family members, who have responded by choosing designs that are easier for me to read independently or with the help of assistive technology. Here are my favorite tips for choosing greeting cards for visually impaired recipients, and how different design elements can impact visual accessibility.
Choose color schemes that provide high contrast
Contrast is defined as the difference of color that makes an object (or the foreground) visible against a background of a different color, with a contrast ratio showing the luminance of the brightest shade to the darkest shade- swapping foreground (text) and background colors has no influence on the contrast ratio between two colors. There is no “universal” color scheme for high contrast and low vision, as preferences for color scheme can vary amongst individuals or be influenced by their specific vision condition.
Some examples of low contrast color schemes I encounter frequently inside of greeting cards include:
- White text on a pastel background, which makes the text look invisible
- Gray text on a white background
- Monochromatic cards that use different shades of the same color for the text and background
I strongly recommend choosing greeting cards that feature a darker or vibrant color for text or design elements against a light-colored background to ensure that the design and text will both be visible. When designing my own cards, I like to add a white outline around dark text (or a dark outline around white text) to help the text “pop” against whatever background color I choose.
Related links
Select card backgrounds that aren’t visually complex/cluttered
The inside of a card frequently contains a meaningful message or note, but this can be difficult to read or access if there are lots of colors or patterns inside. Striped backgrounds, tiny polka dots, and visually complex backgrounds can be difficult to read for people with ocular visual impairments and neurological visual impairments alike, so it’s better to choose a card with a solid-colored background inside so that the recipient can focus on the text. Having a colored frame around a white solid-colored background is fine, as long as it doesn’t have busy patterns or complex shapes.
When possible, choose a sans serif font for the card
Sans serif fonts are generally considered a safe choice for readers with print disabilities or that have trouble reading text, since they are clear and do not contain many decorative elements. Script fonts can be difficult or impossible to read for many people with low vision, especially if they are written at an angle or if they have a lot of embellishments or decorative elements.
In a humorous example, my friend and I were once looking for cards at the store for another friend’s birthday, and I thought I had found a nice design with their favorite colors and a picture of their favorite animal. My friend looked at the card and asked if I could read it, and when I replied no, they said “I figured, because this is an Easter card.” That would have been a memorable birthday card for our friend to receive, especially since their birthday isn’t in the spring!
Related links
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
- Adapting Page Layouts: Math Problems and Low Vision
- Decorating Easter Eggs With Low Vision
Find cards with raised or embossed details
Even if they may have trouble reading the card on their own, many visually impaired recipients will enjoy feeling cards that have raised or embossed details, or that have an embossed font on the front. The recipient can feel the front of the card and the different details before opening the inside of the card to read the messages with magnification or other assistive technology. This is also a fun idea for recipients that are dual media users that read both print and braille.
Search for large print or braille cards
There are several places that sell large print and braille greeting cards, which incorporate raised drawings, braille art, tactile graphics, and high-contrast designs. These can be a bit challenging to find in stores, but I have found them online at Hallmark and through visually impaired artists on Etsy. Several specialty stores for blind and low vision products also sell greeting cards, and they typically retail for $2 to $6.
Related links
- Free Braille Art and Tactile Image Libraries: World Braille Day 2024
- How To Create Tactile Images With Everyday Objects
Use pens or markers to write on the inside of cards
Pencils and erasable pens can be difficult or impossible for many visually impaired individuals to read, and can also be more challenging to enlarge or read with assistive technology. Instead, use pens or markers to write on the inside of cards, choosing a color that provides good contrast against the background. A message written in blue marker on a blue background will be challenging for someone with low vision or their assistive technology to read, but using the same blue marker on a white background may provide a better contrast option.
Related links
Secure any items inside the card with tape or use a high contrast cover
Including cash or a gift card inside of a greeting card? To keep the item from getting lost or falling out, secure any items inside of the card with a piece of clear tape, or place it inside of a high contrast cover or sleeve that pops against the colors of the card and its envelope.
Send a digital card with typed messages inside
For the techie greeting card recipient that is more interested in notes from family and friends over a physical card, sending a digital card with typed messages inside can be another fun option. I created a greeting card with Microsoft Office Sway that included scanned handwritten messages from friends that were typed out in a font size the recipient could read, added photos, and even added my own audio and video tracks (hosted on OneDrive) so the recipient could get this message in multiple modalities.
Another option is to add a QR code to the inside of a card, which can be scanned and show a text file or link with messages typed out in an accessible format, which can then be read with large print, a screen reader, or a braille display. Alternatively, the QR code can be linked to an audio file so the recipient can hear the card read out loud!
There are a few different options for creating a QR code, including:
- Using the QR creator shortcut in the iOS Shortcuts app
- Accessing a free online QR code generator- I love QR.io because it has multiple options for linking content, including audio content
- Bing’s search engine has a built-in QR generator that can be accessed by searching “QR code generator”
Related links
- How To Create A Cookbook In Microsoft Office Sway
- Creating Accessible Bulletin Boards For College Dorms
More tips for choosing greeting cards for visually impaired recipients
- Shopping for greeting cards? Read the outside and inside of cards with a visual assistance app to check what the message says to ensure the card is appropriate for the occasion. Learn about app options in All About Visual Assistance Apps For Visually Impaired
- I strongly recommend avoiding cards that have flickering or flashing lights, as these can be disorienting for individuals with light sensitivity or that avoid strobe/flashing lights. The same goes for virtual cards- learn more in Avoiding Flashing Lights On Social Media
- Want to include a letter? Read Tips For Writing Letters To Visually Impaired Recipients
Published October 18, 2019. Updated September 2024