Pearl's VisionCare at City Gate is an independent optometry practice that has been making vision its passion since 2007. Managed by siblings Serene and Lian Buck Koh, the group serves a wide range of clientele from three vision care centres across Singapore, with the City Gate branch sitting on the ground floor of the City Gate development along Beach Road, at the edge of Kampong Glam.
What sets the practice apart is the depth of its diagnostic care. The team has invested in an array of advanced diagnostic equipment so its optometrists and opticians can detect and diagnose early signs of eye diseases such as glaucoma and retinal disease, with every centre capable of screenings akin to tests conducted at eye clinics. Services span comprehensive eye checks, full eye health screening, contact lens prescription and fitting, myopia management for kids and presbyopia management for seniors. As a one-stop provider, Pearl's also works closely with a panel of renowned eye doctors for cases that need further medical attention.
The City Gate branch is also a destination for eyewear. Stores are frequently restocked with trendy frames and stylish sunglasses from brands such as Tom Ford and Ray-Ban to expressive designers like Theo Eyewear and MOSCOT, paired with Essilor prescription lenses and leading contact lens brands. As a platinum partner of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, City Gate is a designated Acuvue Experience Centre — an exclusive concept offered only in high-end retail stores.
On the ground floor of City Gate along Beach Road, at the edge of Kampong Glam, Pearl's VisionCare has been going about the business of keeping eyes healthy since 2007. The practice — managed by siblings Serene and Lian Buck Koh — has grown from its early days into three vision care centres across Singapore, and the City Gate branch serves residents, office workers and visitors around Beach Road with a level of diagnostic care more often associated with an eye clinic than a neighbourhood optician.
Pearl's VisionCare is very much a family affair. Founder and Executive Director Serene Koh graduated from NUS with a degree in Economics & Statistics and received her optometry training through Singapore Polytechnic's pioneer programme in 1995. Her business acumen has grown the company and expanded its services and product offerings since inception.
Her brother Lian Buck, Senior Optometrist and Director, brings more than 20 years of professional experience to the chair. A graduate of Bradford University in the UK, he earned a Master of Science in Optometry from Aston University in 2018 and became a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry in 2019 — a highly prestigious recognition for optometrists globally. He is a familiar figure in the local eye care scene: an active speaker at local and international conferences, a key opinion leader on the advisory panels of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care and Alcon, a contributor to MOH and Optometrists and Opticians Board committees, and an associate lecturer at Ngee Ann Polytechnic's School of Optometry.
Every eye check at Pearl's begins with you. Optometrists first understand your needs and lifestyle before running a series of refraction tests, vision function tests — which check for colour deficiency, lazy eye and squinting — and a consultation with recommendations tailored to how you actually live.
For those wanting deeper insight, the Eye Health Screening package adds corneal health assessment and mapping, a retinal scan, visual field analysis and an eye pressure check. It is designed to detect early signs of deterioration such as cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration, and the practice takes pride in a consistent track record of catching eye disease early. Cases requiring further treatment are referred to its panel of renowned eye doctors.
There are dedicated programmes at both ends of the age spectrum. Myopia Management for Kids takes a holistic approach to short-sightedness, ranging from Ortho-K lenses to corrective optical lenses and specialised soft contact lenses, complete with eyeball length measurement and co-management with an ophthalmologist where atropine eye drops are used. Presbyopia Management, meanwhile, helps seniors who find it hard to focus on items up close.
Contact lens wearers — and especially first-timers — are guided every step of the way, from corneal mapping and fitting through to handling and maintenance training.
The retail side holds its own. Stores are frequently stocked with hyper-trendy frames and stylish sunglasses from big names such as Tom Ford and Ray-Ban, alongside uniquely expressive designers like Theo Eyewear and MOSCOT, with Essilor prescription lenses and leading contact lens brands behind them. Clients, the team notes, seldom leave without finding a pair that complements their look.
City Gate carries a particular distinction: as a platinum partner of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care's programme, the branch lets clients experience the latest contact lens products before they reach the mass market, and it is a designated Acuvue Experience Centre — an exclusive concept available only in high-end retail stores.
The City Gate branch opens 10.30am to 7pm on weekdays and 10.30am to 6pm on Saturdays. Appointments can be booked online, or you can call 6294 4517 or WhatsApp 8182 5018. Expect friendly, professional service from a team that treats primary eye care as the window to your overall well-being.