Which condition is associated with a decrease in accommodation?

Presbyopia is a condition that results from the natural aging process of the eye, which leads to a gradual decrease in the ability to accommodate, or focus on near objects. This decrease in accommodation occurs due to the hardening of the crystalline lens and loss of elasticity, making it more difficult for the eye to change its focal distance. As individuals age, typically starting in their early to mid-40s, they may find it challenging to read small print or perform close-up tasks without additional visual aids, such as reading glasses.

In contrast, hyperopia (farsightedness) can sometimes be managed by accommodation, especially in younger individuals, since their eyes can compensate for the condition to some extent. Myopia (nearsightedness) and astigmatism are also refractive errors that affect how light is focused on the retina, but they do not specifically relate to a decrease in the accommodation process like presbyopia does. Each of those conditions has different underlying mechanisms and visual challenges, but they do not inherently cause the same age-related decline in focusing ability seen in presbyopia.