Gender-related optical aspects of the onset of presbyopia.

Evidence is presented which substantiates the frequent clinical impression that female optometric patients require their first reading prescription at a slightly earlier age than males. Furthermore newly presbyopic females require an initial add of slightly greater magnitude than age-matched males. A high (>+1.50 D) first add requirement is revealed as a predominantly male characteristic, an outcome attributable essentially to their often relatively later age of presentation for an initial presbyopic refractive examination.