Abstract

Presbyopia, the age-related loss of accommodative amplitude, is the most common ocular affliction in the world. Loss of accommodative amplitude begins in the second decade of life, so that the ability to accommodate is completely lost by the age of 50 to 55 years. While this condition is correctable by various optical means, its cost in devices and lost productivity is substantial.¹ The pathophysiology of presbyopia remains unclear, and dysfunction of every component of the accommodative mechanism has been proposed. The invasive techniques required to answer some of the most critical questions cannot be used in the living human, and subprimate species either do not accommodate or accommodate by very different mechanisms.²

© 1993 Optical Society of America