Small Text on Product Labels Poses a Special Challenge for Emerging Presbyopes.

Significance: Approximately 10% of the lowercase text on nonprescription drug labels is smaller than the 1 mm required by the Food and Drug Administration. The small size, combined with the progressive decline in accommodative amplitude and gain, poses a reading challenge for middle-aged emerging presbyopes.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of progressing presbyopia and near adds on the ability of middle-aged patients to read small text routinely encountered on product labels.