Children across the UK can celebrate World Sight Day with the Duchess of Edinburgh

The Duchess of Edinburgh is a Global Ambassador for The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. (Image credit: BBC/Guy Levy)

To recognise World Sight Day on 10 October, CBeebies has invited a very special guest to read on its popular Bedtime Stories programme. Her Royal Highness Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, will read "Specs for Rex," by Yasmeen Ismail. To watch the special event, parents can tune in to CBeebies Bedtime Stories, which airs weekdays at 6:50pm (18:50) on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer.

Ocular health is of significant interest to The Duchess of Edinburgh, who is a Global Ambassador for The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). Her Royal Highness regularly meets with eye care specialists across the United Kingdom to shine a spotlight on their research and clinical work. She also supports ocular health charities aimed at serving patients with visual impairments and which support research into treating and preventing ocular disease.

"Specs for Rex" is the story of a young lion who begins wearing glasses, but is reluctant to wear them at school. The book follows Rex as he learns to love his large, round glasses, and celebrate all they help him accomplish. This messaging is aligned with the 2024 World Sight Day campaign, Love Your Eyes, which is aimed at children and emphasises empowerment, self-confidence and regular eye health visits.

In a press release, IAPB Spokesperson Simon Darvill said, “We’re thrilled to have CBeebies and HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh shine a spotlight on children’s eye health for World Sight Day. I know myself how lovely it is to sit down as a family to watch the CBeebies bedtime story, and we hope that this special story will engage millions of families, shine a spotlight on the importance of eye care for children and encourage people to book that all important sight test.”

Speaking in a trailer for the programme on BBC, The Duchess, wearing her own pair of spectacles, said, “Millions of us need glasses to see the world clearly. World Sight Day is a reminder to all of us to take care of our eyes, whether we need glasses or not.”

That message is vital for adults and children. “Our eyes are precious, and our sight is something to cherish and look after,” Her Royal Highness continued. “So, let’s remember to take care of our eyes this World Sight Day.”

The special episode of CBeebies Bedtime Stories is just one piece of World Sight Day programming. The IAPB and its partner organisations will conduct global actions including educational events, competitions, vision screenings and distribution of free resources. More information can be found here.

Reference

1. The Duchess of Edinburgh marks World Sight Day with a special CBeebies Bedtime Story. The International Agency for Prevention of Blindness. Press release. Published 4 October, 2024. Accessed 9 October, 2024. https://www.iapb.org/news/the-duchess-of-edinburgh-marks-world-sight-day-with-a-special-cbeebies-bedtime-story/