Last updated 30 September 2026 — by Adrian Tan, SDM. Marketing guidance, not legal advice. Rules are taken from the Optometrists and Opticians Act 2007 and its publicity regulations, the Optometrists and Opticians Board’s Code of Professional Conduct, and Health Sciences Authority guidance as published in September 2026.
Optical retail looks like ordinary retail. There are shopfronts in every mall, frames on display, seasonal sales and loyalty cards. So it is tempting to market it like fashion: a customer testimonial, a “best eye test in town” headline, a “buy two boxes of lenses, get one free” post with a link to order online.
In Singapore each of those can be a problem. Optometrists and opticians are regulated health professionals, and their advertising is governed by publicity regulations and a professional code that ban testimonials, superlatives and fear-based messages. Contact lenses are medical devices. HSA says plainly that “it is illegal to sell contact lenses online”, and in March 2026 alone it had 959 listings removed, more than 82% of them for unregistered contact lenses.
This guide sets out the two regimes that apply to optical marketing, the practitioner rules and the product rules. It explains who may supply contact lenses, what an optical ad may and may not say, how the rules apply to social media and agencies, and what enforcement looks like.
Two regimes: the practitioner and the product
Optical advertising in Singapore sits under two sets of rules that overlap but do different jobs.
- The practitioner regime. The Optometrists and Opticians Act 2007 (OOA) registers optometrists and opticians through the Optometrists and Opticians Board (OOB). Regulations made under it, the Optometrists and Opticians (Practice, Conduct, Ethics and Publicity) Regulations, control how registered persons publicise their practice. The OOB’s Code of Professional Conduct adds detailed advertising guidelines.
- The product regime. Contact lenses are medical devices regulated by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) under the Health Products Act. HSA’s medical device advertising rules apply to any ad for the lenses themselves, whoever publishes it.
An optical shop that advertises eye examinations deals mainly with the first regime. A brand or retailer advertising contact lenses deals with the second. An optical chain advertising a contact lens promotion has to satisfy both.
Who may supply contact lenses
Before any copy is written, the business model has to be lawful. The OOA’s Schedule divides the work. Opticianry covers supplying and fitting optical appliances “except for contact lenses”. Optometry covers prescribing optical appliances and contact lenses, and “supplying, preparing and dispensing of all optical appliances and contact lenses”. Opticians who held the old contact lens practice licence are treated as registered opticians who may continue that practice.
In practice, only a registered optometrist or an optician registered for contact lens practice may supply contact lenses in Singapore. The publicity regulations also reserve to contact lens practitioners and ophthalmologists the job of explaining the risks, prescribing and fitting lenses and providing aftercare.
The online question
This is where most e-commerce plans fail. MOH said in January 2015 that HSA “considers all types of contact lenses to be medical devices” and that “companies cannot sell contact lenses directly to consumers, including online. Companies can supply contact lenses only to qualified persons.” HSA’s current line is just as blunt: “It is illegal to sell contact lenses online.”
The OOB’s position is framed slightly differently. Its published answer says only registered optometrists and contact lens practice opticians may supply lenses, and that all orders must be verified and authorised by a licensed optometrist or qualified optician. An OOB advisory of August 2016 calls online sale “an unsafe practice to be avoided” and tells optometrists not to verify prescriptions they did not personally issue or sign.
The safe reading for a marketer is the stricter one. Do not build an ad campaign around ordering contact lenses online for home delivery, even through a practitioner’s own website, without taking specific advice on how the order is verified and dispensed. And never run ads for a marketplace listing or an overseas site that ships lenses into Singapore.
Coloured and cosmetic lenses are not an exception
Coloured lenses are the product most often sold outside the rules, usually through social media and marketplace shops. HSA’s consumer guidance says contact lenses with refractive power must be registered, and that the OOB requires all lenses, “powered or non-powered”, to be dispensed by practitioners. So even a plano cosmetic lens with no prescription must come from a registered practitioner. HSA’s consumer page recalls a 2011 case in which a 17-year-old was hospitalised after using coloured lenses bought online.
What an optical practice may say in an ad
The publicity regulations define “publicity” to include material “retrievable from, any mass medium, electronic or otherwise”. Websites, Google Business Profiles, Instagram posts, TikTok videos, paid search ads and in-mall banners are all covered.
The core test
Regulation 13 prohibits publicity that “may reasonably be regarded as being misleading, deceptive, inaccurate, false or unbefitting of the dignity” of the profession. It also prohibits touting. The regulation then gives examples.
- Publicity is misleading if it omits a material fact, contains information that is “exaggerated or cannot be verified”, or creates “an unjustified expectation” of the results.
- Publicity is unbefitting if it “appeals to the fears or concerns of members of the public”, runs down other practitioners, or contains “any testimonial or endorsement”.
The OOB Code adds detail
The Code’s advertising articles, article 7 for optometrists and article 8 for opticians, turn those tests into specific rules. Ads must be “factual, accurate” and “verifiable through available scientific evidence”. They must not be “sensational, extravagant, laudatory or contain any superlatives”. They must not contain testimonials, or “information on volume, quality, efficacy or effectiveness”. A practitioner must not advertise a product whose claims are “not reasonably substantiated by scientific evidence”. Offers and discounts must show the “complete details of any conditions”. The rules expressly apply to the internet.
| Common optical ad line | Problem | Compliant alternative |
|---|---|---|
| “Singapore’s best eye test” | A superlative that cannot be verified | “Comprehensive eye examination by a registered optometrist” |
| “Our customers love us!” with review quotes | Testimonials are banned | Describe the service, hours and qualifications factually |
| “Don’t let your child go blind from myopia” | Fear appeal; also a disease claim for any product | “Myopia assessments for children by a registered optometrist” |
| “Stops myopia progression” | Efficacy claim; must be substantiated and not overstated | Describe what the service or product is, not what it guarantees |
| “50% off lenses!” with no terms | Offer conditions must be complete | State which lenses, dates, minimum spend and exclusions in the ad |
| “Cheaper than other shops” | Deprecates other practitioners | State your own prices and what they include |
Titles and qualifications
Regulation 9 allows only registered qualifications and titles approved by the Registrar to be used. The Code also bars a practitioner from displaying a credential that “misrepresents his or her scope of competence”. Titles such as “specialist”, or a professional title used on social media, should be checked against what the practitioner is actually registered and approved to use. We did not find a specific published rule on individual titles, so check with the OOB before using one.
Financial interests and exhibitions
Regulation 10 requires a practitioner to disclose a financial interest in products they recommend. That matters for sponsored posts in which an optometrist recommends a lens brand. Regulation 14 requires the Board to be told at least 14 days ahead of any exhibition or roadshow. A mall booth offering free vision screening therefore needs notice to the OOB, not just a booking with the mall.
Why the agency cannot carry the risk
Regulation 12 is the rule that matters most to anyone marketing for an optical business. The registered person is responsible for publicity “whether such publicity is conducted by him or by any other person on his behalf”. That includes a marketing agency, a social media freelancer, a mall’s promotions team or an influencer. The Board may order an ad withdrawn.
The Code goes further for third-party advertising. Article 7.4 allows ads placed through third parties such as credit card companies, media owners and magazines, but only if the practitioner declares to the Board who is responsible and signs an undertaking. A bank card promotion offering a discount at an optical chain is exactly this kind of ad.
The regulations do not create a criminal offence for a publicity breach. Breaches are handled as disciplinary matters against the registered person, through the complaints process. For the practitioner that is serious: it goes to their registration, which is their livelihood. For the agency, it means every piece of optical copy must be approved by the registered practitioner who will answer for it.
The product rules: advertising contact lenses
HSA lists contact lenses as a Class B medical device, meaning low to moderate risk. Its advertising guidance, updated in March 2026, applies to any ad for a device. No prior approval is needed, but the ad must meet the conditions.
- It must “truthfully state the nature, quality and properties” of the device.
- All claims must be “substantiated with scientific studies”.
- It must contain no “unqualified superlatives”.
- It may not claim to prevent, alleviate or cure listed conditions. Blindness is on the list.
- It must not include testimonials or recommendations from healthcare professionals.
- Ads for devices meant only for professional use may be distributed only to qualified practitioners.
- It must comply with the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice.
These rules apply to a lens manufacturer’s brand campaign as much as to an optical shop. We cover the wider health product regime, including supplements and other devices, in our guide to health product advertising in Singapore.
Myopia control
Myopia control is the fastest-growing category in optical marketing, and the one where claims are most likely to overreach. Orthokeratology lenses and myopia-control contact lenses are contact lenses, so both regimes apply. MOH has said lenses used for therapy in vision disorders such as myopia must be registered with HSA.
We found no rule written specifically for myopia-control claims. The general tests are strict enough. The OOB Code bars “information on … efficacy or effectiveness” in practitioner ads and requires scientific substantiation. HSA bars claims to prevent listed conditions. A claim that a product “stops” myopia or “prevents” a child’s eyesight getting worse is exactly the kind of line both regimes are built to catch. Describe what the product is and who it is for, and leave outcomes to the consultation.
Marketplaces and social media
Marketplaces enforce the product rules directly. Carousell’s Singapore prohibited-content list includes contact lenses under medical and healthcare items. Shopee’s Singapore policy uses contact lenses as an example of a prohibited item. We could not verify Lazada’s current policy, so check it before listing any eye-care product there.
HSA also works with platforms. During Operation Pangea XVIII (10 to 23 March 2026) it had 959 listings removed and warned 152 sellers, and unregistered contact lenses made up more than 82% of the listings removed. During Operation Pangea XVII (December 2024 to May 2025) it removed 1,288 listings, including 171 for contact lenses, blocked 16 overseas websites and warned 732 sellers. In March 2025 an 18-year-old was caught “advertising contact lenses for sale on Telegram”, and 280 lenses were seized.
For a legitimate optical business, the practical rules for social channels are:
- Do not post shoppable links or “DM to order” calls to action for contact lenses.
- Do not repost customer reviews or unboxing videos in paid or owned content. They are testimonials.
- If you work with influencers on frames or eyewear fashion, keep contact lenses out of the brief, and make sure no optometrist in the content is giving an endorsement. Our influencer marketing guide covers disclosure and contracts.
- Google reviews on your business profile are the public’s content, not your ad. Do not quote them in your own ads.
Enforcement: what has actually happened
Enforcement against unqualified practice is older and uses the OOA directly. Section 25(1)(b) makes it an offence to “advertise or otherwise hold himself or herself out to be qualified” to practise optometry or opticianry without being registered and holding a practising certificate. The penalty is a fine of up to $25,000, jail of up to six months, or both, rising to $50,000 and 12 months for a repeat offence. Employing an unqualified person is a separate offence.
MOH’s releases show how those cases have gone. In November 2012 a sales assistant at an optical shop was fined $1,500 for unlawful practice and the proprietor $3,000 for employing her. In an earlier case, two defendants were fined $5,000 and $12,000 for employing an unqualified person between 2008 and 2011. MOH said in 2015 that six people were prosecuted for unauthorised supply of contact lenses between 2012 and 2014, and that five of them were fined between $1,500 and $5,000. Selling unregistered health products carries up to $100,000, three years’ jail, or both under the Health Products Act.
We did not find a reported case about a misleading optical advertisement as such. Advertising breaches by registered practitioners are handled through the OOB’s disciplinary process, which is less public than a prosecution.
A compliance checklist for optical marketing
- Confirm who supplies. Any contact lens offer must be supplied by a registered optometrist or contact lens practice optician, in person or under verified dispensing. No marketplace, no Telegram, no overseas site.
- Get the practitioner’s sign-off. The registered person answers for every ad, so every ad needs their approval.
- Strip testimonials and superlatives. No reviews, star ratings, “best”, “No. 1” or “most trusted” in ads.
- Remove fear and efficacy claims. No “don’t go blind”, no “stops myopia”, no outcome guarantees.
- Complete every offer. State the conditions of each discount in the ad itself.
- Declare third-party promotions. Card, mall and media partner ads need the Code’s declaration and undertaking.
- Notify roadshows. Tell the OOB at least 14 days before an exhibition or screening booth.
- Disclose interests. Sponsored product recommendations need the practitioner’s financial interest disclosed.
- Handle prescription data carefully. Eye examination records and prescriptions are personal data. Collect them only for care and with the right consent. See our guide to PDPA-compliant marketing.
What works instead
These rules take away the tactics most retail marketing relies on, but they leave plenty of room. Optical businesses that do well in Singapore tend to compete on things they can state factually.
- Local search. Most people choose an optical shop near home or work. A complete Google Business Profile, with accurate services, hours, photos of the practice and registered staff, does more than any slogan. See our guide to social media for clinics for how regulated practices handle reviews and posting.
- Educational content. Articles and videos on how an eye examination works, how often children should be checked, or how to care for lenses are allowed, as long as they stay factual and avoid fear and efficacy claims. Our guide to content marketing for clinics shows how to build it.
- Frames and eyewear styling. Campaigns about frames and styling do not involve contact lenses, so the product regime drops out of that part of the plan. The practitioner rules still apply to a registered practice’s ads, so keep the copy factual. Run lens promotions as a separate, more tightly checked campaign.
- Transparent pricing. Clear prices for examinations, lenses and packages, with conditions stated, are both compliant and persuasive.
For a broader view of the sector, see our guide to digital marketing for healthcare in Singapore. If you sell eyewear online, check your store against our e-commerce marketing guide and our list of website legal requirements, and keep contact lenses out of the cart.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell contact lenses online in Singapore?
HSA says it is illegal to sell contact lenses online, and MOH has said companies cannot sell them directly to consumers, including online. Only registered optometrists and contact lens practice opticians may supply lenses. Marketplaces such as Carousell and Shopee prohibit contact lens listings.
Can an optical shop use customer testimonials in its ads?
No. The Optometrists and Opticians publicity regulations treat publicity containing “any testimonial or endorsement” as unbefitting the profession, and the OOB Code bans testimonials in advertisements. HSA also bars healthcare professional testimonials in medical device ads.
Are coloured contact lenses regulated in Singapore?
Yes. HSA treats contact lenses as medical devices, and the OOB requires all lenses, powered or non-powered, to be dispensed by registered practitioners. Buying or selling coloured lenses through social media or marketplaces bypasses those rules.
Can I advertise myopia control for children?
You can advertise the service factually. The OOB Code bars efficacy or effectiveness claims in practitioner ads, and HSA bars device ads that claim to prevent or cure listed conditions, including blindness. Avoid “stops myopia” or fear-based lines about a child’s eyesight.
Who is responsible if an agency runs a non-compliant optical ad?
The registered optometrist or optician. The publicity regulations make them responsible for publicity whether they run it or another person runs it on their behalf, and breaches are handled through the OOB’s disciplinary process.
What is the penalty for advertising optometry services without being registered?
Under section 25 of the Optometrists and Opticians Act, advertising or holding yourself out as qualified without registration and a practising certificate carries a fine of up to $25,000, up to six months’ jail, or both, and up to $50,000 and 12 months for a repeat offence.
The takeaway
Optical marketing in Singapore runs on two rulebooks. The practitioner rules ban testimonials, superlatives, fear appeals and unverifiable claims, and make the registered practitioner answer for every ad, including the agency’s. The product rules treat contact lenses as medical devices that cannot be sold online. Campaigns that work within those limits compete on local search, factual education and transparent pricing, and they do not end up in an HSA takedown count.
Our performance marketing team builds compliant search and social campaigns for regulated healthcare and retail businesses, and you can see how we report results in our client case studies. For the measurement side, start with our complete guide to performance marketing in Singapore.
