Which condition would likely cause a patient to have difficulty reading small print as they age?

The correct response pertains to presbyopia, a condition that is commonly associated with aging. As individuals get older, the lens of the eye becomes less flexible, making it more difficult to focus on close objects. This difficulty in accommodation is what leads to challenges in reading small print or engaging in activities that require near vision.

While hyperopia is a condition where distant objects are seen more clearly than those that are near, it does not specifically arise as a natural consequence of aging, nor does it encompass the broader issues of accommodation that presbyopia does. Myopia, or nearsightedness, generally affects younger individuals and also relates to difficulties with distant vision. Glaucoma is primarily an eye condition that increases pressure in the eye, potentially leading to vision loss, but it does not specifically relate to the difficulty of reading small print that is typically observed with presbyopia. Therefore, presbyopia distinctly characterizes the age-related challenge of near vision that contributes to difficulty reading small print.