A 55-year-old client presents to a primary care clinic for an annual checkup and states "I am really struggling to read the fine print in the newspaper and my eyes feel very strained when I use my smartphone". Which of the following sensory deficits is the client describing?

Presbyopia is an age-related decline in lens elasticity, reducing accommodative ability for near vision. It results from progressive sclerosis of the crystalline lens and weakening of ciliary muscle function, causing difficulty focusing on close objects and visual strain during near tasks. Rationale: A. Peripheral neuropathy involves damage to peripheral nerves causing sensory deficits such as numbness, tingling, or pain in extremities. It does not affect visual acuity or accommodation. Therefore nerve dysfunction is unrelated to difficulty reading fine print. B. Presbyopia presents with progressive inability to focus on near objects due to decreased lens flexibility and accommodative capacity. Symptoms include eye strain and difficulty reading small print. Thus age-related accommodation loss accurately explains the client’s visual complaints. C. Presbycusis is age-related sensorineural hearing loss affecting high-frequency sound perception. It does not involve visual structures or focusing ability. Therefore auditory decline is unrelated to the described symptoms. D. Xerostomia refers to dry mouth caused by reduced salivary gland function or medication effects. It does not affect visual acuity or lens accommodation. Thus salivary dysfunction is not associated with difficulty reading fine print.