Which of the following is a common refractive error that affects distance vision?

Myopia, commonly known as nearsightedness, is indeed a common refractive error that primarily affects distance vision. In individuals with myopia, light entering the eye is focused in front of the retina rather than directly on it. This results in clear vision up close while distant objects appear blurry. The condition arises when the eyeball is longer than normal or the cornea has too much curvature.

Hyperopia, on the other hand, affects near vision rather than distance vision, as light focuses behind the retina. Presbyopia is a condition related to aging that typically results in difficulty focusing on close objects, which is not exclusively a refractive error affecting distance vision. Astigmatism involves an irregular curvature of the cornea or lens, leading to distorted or blurred vision at all distances, but it is not specifically categorized as a distance vision issue. Thus, myopia is the accurate choice as it specifically pertains to difficulty in seeing far away.