The days and weeks after a trabeculectomy can feel unsettling. That’s something Wiri Koia understands from experience.
Almost 80-years-old and recently retired, Wiri spent many years driving buses in New Zealand and Australia. Last year, after his eye pressure rose to dangerous levels, he travelled from Gisborne to Waikato Hospital for a trabeculectomy.
Before surgery, he was prescribed Diamox tablets to help bring the pressure down.
“I’ve never felt so crook,” he recalls.
The surgery successfully lowered the pressure in his eye, but recovery wasn’t immediate.
For the first few weeks after surgery, Wiri’s vision wasn’t great. As the weeks passed, he started getting a bit scared. It wasn’t until around three months later that he began to believe his eyes were coming right.
“Don’t expect a miracle,” he says. “It takes time to heal.”
Wiri says he’s always felt well supported in Gisborne and doesn’t hesitate to seek advice if something doesn’t seem right.
“If I get worried, I just drop in to my local optometrist.”
Looking back, he hopes others won’t lose heart if recovery feels slower than expected.
“Don’t panic,” he says. “Give it time.”
Special thanks to Wiri for sharing his story as part of the July 2026 Eyelights newsletter. Read the full newsletter here.