Ross Taylor has provided a graphic illustration of the eye injury that will keep him out of the game until 2017.
The Black Caps batsmen tweeted an extreme close-up photo of his left eye as he prepares to go under the knife to remove the pterygium - a growth on the tissue that lines the eyelids.
Taylor told media last week he has had the for "five or six years", but has seen it deteriorate over the past few months and the decision was made that surgical intervention was required. Medical staff estimate the recovery period to be four to six weeks.
"The surgery involves cutting your eye, and cutting the growth," Taylor explained.
"Then they'll take a little bit from under the eyelid and glue it in so the growth doesn't come back.
"With any operation there's always a chance that things don't go as well as possible. The surgeon I talked to last night was pretty confident that the recovery time is as we had said.
"After four to six weeks there could be a period when it does deteriorate a little bit, but hopefully I can get it back after a little while."
After being touch and go to take part in this week's second test against Pakistan in Hamilton, Taylor scored his 16th test century in his second innings on Monday.
