EMME Visioncare at The Cathay is a family optometry practice on Handy Road, on Level 2 of The Cathay Mall (#02-13), a couple of minutes' walk from Dhoby Ghaut MRT and a short stroll from Plaza Singapura and the foot of Mount Sophia. It brings the practice's brand of primary eye care to the Dhoby Ghaut and Orchard area: comprehensive eye examinations, children's myopia control, Ortho-K night lenses, dry eye management, contact lens fitting and a curated eyewear range.
Far more than a glasses shop, the practice treats eye care as preventive rather than reactive. Most of its space is dedicated to eye testing and clinical care, fitted with a full suite of advanced diagnostic technology, and every optometrist and optician is registered with Singapore's Optometrists and Opticians Board (OOB). Childhood myopia is a particular focus — no surprise in a country where roughly 65% of children are short-sighted by Primary 6 — with evidence-based options ranging from specialised spectacle lenses to myopia-control contact lenses and Orthokeratology (Ortho-K).
The Cathay team includes optometrists Jaycob Chin (FIAOMC), Shawn Au, Joanne Tsen and Zoerin Tan, plus opticians Karis Lim and Faith Chan. The branch is open 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily, and appointments can be arranged by call or WhatsApp at (65) 8690 3598.
EMME Visioncare's practice at The Cathay sits at #02-13 on Level 2 of The Cathay Mall on Handy Road — a two- to three-minute walk from Dhoby Ghaut MRT and an easy stroll from Plaza Singapura and the foot of Mount Sophia. It is a family optometry practice in the fullest sense: a primary eye care clinic, not simply a shop for new glasses.
The philosophy here is that good eye care is preventive, not reactive. Most people only think about their eyes when vision blurs, but regular, thorough examinations catch problems early, protect long-term sight, and can surface signs of wider health conditions before symptoms appear. That standard shapes the space itself — most of the practice is dedicated to eye testing and clinical care, fitted with a full suite of advanced diagnostic technology. Every optometrist and optician on the team is registered with Singapore's Optometrists and Opticians Board (OOB) and qualified to carry out comprehensive examinations, prescribe ophthalmic lenses and fit therapeutic contact lenses.
Childhood myopia is the area EMME Visioncare cares about most, and with reason: Singapore has one of the highest myopia rates in the world, and by Primary 6 roughly 65% of children here are already short-sighted. Research projects close to half the world's population will be myopic by 2050. Myopia is a structural change in the eye — the eyeball grows too long, and that elongation is permanent — which raises lifelong risks of retinal detachment, glaucoma and myopic macular degeneration.
The Cathay branch offers a full range of evidence-based myopia control for children. Because EMME is an independent practice, its advice is genuinely unbiased: depending on the child, that might mean specialised spectacle lenses, soft myopia-control contact lenses, or Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) — night lenses worn while asleep. Acting early to slow progression, the team stresses, makes a lasting difference.
Patients at The Cathay are seen by optometrist Jaycob Chin, FIAOMC, who trained across Singapore, the US and Australia, holds an evidence-based myopia management certification from UNSW, and focuses on comprehensive exams and early detection of ocular disease. Shawn Au brings over 25 years in primary eye care and specialises in complex prescriptions — high myopia and astigmatism — with a reputation for patience during children's Ortho-K fittings; he speaks Mandarin and local dialects. Joanne Tsen, a Glasgow Caledonian graduate, has co-authored peer-reviewed research and consults in English and Mandarin, while Zoerin Tan's calm, reassuring approach suits first-time and anxious patients. Opticians Karis Lim, qualified since 2008, and Faith Chan round out the team with eyewear-fitting and dispensing expertise.
Beyond myopia control and Ortho-K, the branch provides comprehensive eye examinations, children's eyesight assessments, dry eye management and contact lens fitting, alongside a curated eyewear range. Consultations are personalised and open to everyone, whatever your age, prescription or reason for coming in. The team recommends booking ahead — by call or WhatsApp at (65) 8690 3598 — so enough time can be set aside for a full examination.
Getting there is simple. Dhoby Ghaut is an interchange for the North-South, North-East and Circle lines, and The Cathay Mall connects directly to the station; several bus stops sit within a two-minute walk, and the mall has its own car park with the entrance on Handy Road. With hours of 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM every day of the week, it is easy to fit in an eye check after work or on weekends — whether you are a parent near Plaza Singapura, a student at SMU or SOTA, or you work around Orchard. A sister branch at HarbourFront Centre serves the south and west of the island.