Theres no need to squint to view the icons on your desktop, you can resize them on the fly: Click an empty space on the desktop then hold down the Ctrl key and roll your mouse wheel forward to increase the icon size, backwards to decrease the size. This doesnt change the size of the icon labels, just the icons themselves. Be aware, though, that zooming to mega icons and then back again will upset the icon placement on your desktop [thats where the next tip comes in handy].
Restore icon layout
If you use the previous tip to resize your icons or you change screen resolutions frequently or if something else alters the tidy arrangement of your desktop icons, a tiny program by Jamie OConnell called Desktop Restore will make your life easier. Desktop Restore lets you save multiple desktop icon layouts: one for each resolution you use plus additional custom layouts. You can then restore any of those layouts with a click or two.
Once you install the program, use it by right-clicking an empty spot on the desktop and choosing Save Desktop from the pop-up menu. Desktop Restore saves the layout with the current resolution as the layout name. If you mess up your icons, right-click the desktop once more and choose Restore Desktop; the program will automatically restore the correct layout for your currently displayed resolution. A Custom Save/Restore option lets you save and name additional layouts and choose which layout to restore from a list.