“You’re not coming in unless you’ve worn these glasses”
After years of being unsure how to explain his sight loss, Rob finally found a tool that says it all.
Back in March, during Glaucoma Awareness Month, you helped shine a light on glaucoma across Aotearoa, New Zealand. One of the tools launched during the campaign was a set of simulation glasses. They were created to help others see the world through the eyes of someone with glaucoma.
For Rob, a long-time Glaucoma NZ member living with moderate to advanced glaucoma, they’ve become a powerful way to connect with others.
“I’ll finally be able to show you what I see — or don’t see,” Rob said. After requesting the simulation glasses, he received three pairs in the mail, each showing the progression of glaucoma from early to advanced. “They’re pretty accurate,” he said, and laughed, “From now on, when you come to my place, you can only be admitted once you’ve put these glasses on.”
With several years of lived experience and two decades of hindsight, Rob knows how difficult it can be to explain what it’s like to others. The strange gaps. The missed objects. The things that are just out of view. These glasses, he says, help him share what words can’t.
Rob’s journey with glaucoma started long before he was officially diagnosed. “Around the year 2000, I had an ophthalmologist mention something about glaucoma after an eye pressure check,” he said. “But I chose to ignore it. I was going through a separation at the time, his fees were huge, and it wasn’t at the top of my list.” He wasn’t diagnosed until 2019, but that moment stuck with him. “Twenty-five years later… bugger.”
Now, Rob’s passion is spreading awareness. Whether it’s through the simulation glasses or welcoming an optometrist onto his radio station, Beach FM. “I’m pretty passionate about early detection,” he said. “I can blame myself for not doing something about it earlier.”
His story shows why tools like the simulation glasses matter. Why early detection matters. And why sharing lived experience, whether in your lounge or over the airwaves, can help others feel seen and understood.
Help raise awareness in your own way
Rob shows that spreading the word about glaucoma doesn’t need to be big or flashy. If you would like to share your story, speak at a local event, or simply help others understand what glaucoma is, we’d love to hear from you.
Everyone has a part to play in making glaucoma more visible. Email info@glaucoma.org.nz to learn how you can get involved.