Presbyopia, a common age-related vision condition affecting most people as they age, often remains inadequately understood by those unaffected. To help bridge the gap between abstract accessibility knowledge and a more grounded appreciation of perceptual challenges, this study presents OpticalAging, an optical see-through simulation approach. Unlike VR-based methods, OpticalAging uses dynamically controlled tunable lenses to simulate the first-person visual perspective of presbyopia's distance-dependent blur during real-world interaction, aiming to enhance awareness. While acknowledging critiques regarding simulation's limitations in fully capturing lived experience, we position this tool as a complement to user-centered methods. Our user study (N = 19, 18-35 years old) provides validation: quantitative measurements show statistically significant changes in near points across three age modes (40s, 50s, 60s), while qualitative results suggest increases in self-reported understanding and awareness of perceptual challenges among participants. The integration of our tool into a design task showcases its potential applicability within age-inclusive design workflows when used critically alongside direct user engagement.

翻译：老花眼是一种常见的年龄相关视力状况，随着人们年龄增长，大多数人都会受到影响，但未受此困扰者往往对其理解不足。为了弥合抽象的无障碍知识与对感知挑战更具体认知之间的差距，本研究提出了OpticalAging，一种光学透视模拟方法。与基于虚拟现实的方法不同，OpticalAging采用动态控制的可调透镜，在现实世界交互过程中模拟老花眼随距离变化的模糊视觉的第一人称视角，旨在提升认知意识。尽管我们承认模拟方法在完整呈现真实体验方面存在局限性，但我们将此工具定位为以用户为中心方法的补充。我们的用户研究（N = 19，年龄18-35岁）提供了验证：定量测量显示在三种年龄模式（40岁、50岁、60岁）下近点距离发生统计学显著变化，而定性结果表明参与者自我报告的对感知挑战的理解和意识有所提升。将本工具整合到设计任务中，展示了其在批判性结合直接用户参与的情况下，于年龄包容性设计工作流程中的潜在适用性。