What visual condition is characterized by age-related difficulty in seeing up close?

Presbyopia is a visual condition that typically occurs as people age, where they experience difficulty seeing objects that are close up. This condition arises because the eye's lens loses its flexibility, making it harder to focus on near tasks such as reading or sewing.

As individuals reach their mid-40s or older, they may notice that they need to hold reading material farther away to see it clearly, which is a hallmark symptom of presbyopia. It is an inevitable part of the aging process and affects nearly everyone to some degree as they grow older.

This condition is distinct from other visual impairments mentioned in the choices. Astigmatism refers to an irregular curvature of the eye, leading to blurred vision at all distances. Hyperopia, or farsightedness, is a condition where distant objects are seen more clearly than close ones, which is not necessarily age-related. Amblyopia, or "lazy eye," is the result of improper visual development in childhood, not a condition linked to aging. Therefore, presbyopia is specifically the correct answer because it directly addresses the age-related difficulty of seeing up close.