Glass Story, formerly known as Heng Kwang Optics and Contact Lens Centre, has been one of Singapore's leading eyecare professionals since 1980. From its retail gallery at #01-30 The Bencoolen on Bencoolen Street, a team of qualified optometrists and opticians provides professional eye examinations, prescription lenses, contact lenses and a curated selection of up to 2,000 frames sourced from around the world, with fresh arrivals landing every week.
The shop's Perfect Pair Promise shapes the whole experience: personalised frame matching that takes into account face shape, complexion, hair and eye colours, preferences and lifestyle; complimentary frame fit check-ups — thorough cleaning, frame and temple alignment, screw tightening and nose pad adjustment — guaranteed for the lifetime of your eyewear; a one-year warranty on manufacturing defects across all frames and lenses; and 30% off a replacement pair if your sunglasses are damaged within 12 months of purchase.
Customers frequently mention the unhurried, pressure-free service, with reviews naming team members Claire and Stephen and praising everything from thorough eye tests to quick lens replacements. Designer names like Gucci, Ray-Ban and Prada sit alongside bold clubmasters, horn rims and classic cat-eye styles in the boutique galleria.
Step into Glass Story at The Bencoolen and you are stepping into a story that began in 1980. Back then, the shop was known as Heng Kwang Optics and Contact Lens Centre. Today, rebranded as Glass Story, it carries four decades of eyecare experience into a bright retail gallery on Bencoolen Street, on the edge of Kampong Glam. The name has changed, but the fundamentals have not: a team of qualified optometrists and opticians, a topmost standard of professional eyecare, and a curated wall of eyewear that now runs to some 2,000 pairs.
Much of what regulars come back for is summed up in the shop's Perfect Pair Promise. It starts with Perfect Fit: associates are trained to connect you with your ideal eyeglasses match, weighing face shape, complexion, hair and eye colours, personal preferences and lifestyle — whether you want 1950s screen-idol glamour in your sunglasses and incognito indoor specs, or day-to-night versatility from a single pair.
The promise continues long after you walk out the door. Custom Cleaning means complimentary frame fit check-ups for the lifetime of your eyewear, covering thorough cleaning, frame and temple alignment, screw tightening and nose pad adjustment. There are safety nets, too. Under Oops Coverage, if you break or damage your sunglasses within 12 months of purchase, you receive 30% off a replacement pair — return them to the store with proof of purchase; the discount cannot be combined with other offers or used on sale items. And Assured Quality provides a one-year warranty against breakage due to defects in material and workmanship on all frames and lenses, with scratched lenses treated as normal wear and tear. Rounding it out is Style & Selection: up to 2,000 frames sourced from around the world, with the latest additions arriving every week.
Reviews from long-time customers give a real sense of the pace here. Shoppers describe an organised, professional process from start to finish, and plenty of room to decide — Claire and Stephen are repeatedly named for letting customers browse slowly without any pressure, even when the choice spans a formidable number of frames. One family has been coming back for 25 years, and Stephen's eye test is credited by one regular with catching early cataracts that were later corrected with surgery. Others mention replacement glasses turned around quickly, new Prada frames arriving with free lenses at a surprisingly great price, and effortless orders for transition lenses.
The gallery carries recognisable names — customers have chosen Gucci, Ray-Ban and Prada here — alongside bold clubmasters, horn rims, classic cat eyes and cool, crystal-studded stunners.
Glass Story's roots as a contact lens centre still show. Alongside eye examinations and prescription lenses, the team handles transition lenses and tint upgrades, and can fit prescription lenses into your sunglasses. The Sun in Style offer currently includes free basic prescription lenses when you purchase a pair of sunglasses, or $50 off any other tint lens upgrade, subject to terms and conditions.
Word of mouth is rewarded as well. Refer a friend and, once they purchase a complete set of eyewear, you each receive a $20 coupon towards a purchase. Sharing your stories and experiences on the shop's Facebook page can earn 20% off your next pair of eyeglasses, with T&Cs applying.
Whether you are due an eye test, replacing a trusted old pair, or hunting for a statement frame, Glass Story opens Tuesday to Saturday from 12 noon to 8pm, and from 12 noon to 7pm on Sundays and public holidays. It is closed every Monday. Find it at #01-30 The Bencoolen, 180 Bencoolen Street, Singapore 189646, or call 6338 9016.