Lay summary
Preterm infants born less than 31 weeks gestational age, or 1250 gram birthweight require regular eye examinations to screen for retinopathy of prematurity. Retinopathy of prematurity is an eye condition that in some cases, if left untreated, can cause permanent blindness. The risk of permanent vision loss is the reason why eligible preterm infants have regular eye examinations for early identification and treatment.
Currently whānau are encouraged by staff to leave their preterm infant while the Ophthalmologist and nursing staff preform the eye examination. Whānau are encouraged to leave because the eye examination can cause significant distress in the infant, which can in turn, cause distress to the whānau.
The purpose of this research is to explore the lived experiences of Māori whānau during the retinopathy of prematurity eye examinations in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.