In our last eye doctor episode, Dr. Wiggins confirmed that Jon’s eyes had stabilized (somehow) back to a focus point where he didn’t need glasses, but that we should be watchful in case he suddenly started squinting or leaning over to try to get closer—especially during the sudden growth segment of puberty. This alert was based on the fact that:

1. Jon has already been nearsighted;
2. Jon has two parents, in case no one noticed, who wear glasses for nearsightedness.

So come November, we started seeing such behaviour occasionally, while Jon was watching TV, etc. We kept watching for it, and although it wasn’t constant, there definitely did seem to be something going on. By mid-December we booked an appointment for last Thursday.

So what’s the upshot of yet another trip to Waterloo, to visit the good doctor and his pair of students? Nada. Nuffink. Jon’s eyes focus at exactly the same prescription as previously (for the record, ever-so-slightly farsighted—but nothing that requires glasses). We were slightly perturbed. I began to apologize for taking up their time and Dr. Wiggins stopped me. “I asked you to watch out for a particular behaviour and you saw it. You didn’t call the first time you saw it, you kept on the lookout and saw it repeated a number of times. I told you to call me if it kept up. It turns out that it’s not Jon’s ability to focus. But it could have been an entirely different outcome.”

The doctor speculated that given that the eyes are okay, it’s likely CNS (central nervous system)-based, a pretty solid call given Jon’s cerebral history. This suggests that the wash of hormonal activity happening around Jon’s body is affecting the development of his visual cortex. Not a huge leap of logic, that one. But yet another fascinating chapter (to us, anyway) in Jon’s growth.