I too have problems reading rules these days
Are you having trouble with old-style rules too though? I feel that I can still absorb those fairly well.
It's as though the whole paradigm for how to present has shifted - IMO towards the sloppier in terms of giving a good view of
what is going on. But maybe it's just that every damned game is so different.
Good question. I am not 100% sure.
I assumed that a deteriorating ability to focus as I age was the issue, but perhaps it is how some modern rules are written. I have not tested your notion of late except that I was able to read those from "A Famous Victory" without an issue. So perhaps you are on to something.
For example, I had a dickens of a time with rules from the COIN series. Even though it is really quite a simple game. This was partly due to their having unusual mechanics (for me). But also I think it had to do with how they were presented. Now I have no trouble with them since I am used to the games.