George Optical Marks 66 Years of Eye Care with Special Anniversary Treat

Sixty-six years after opening its first clinic in Binondo, George Optical is marking its anniversary with an offer that centers its long-standing commitment to Filipino customers.

As part of the George Optical 66th Anniversary Treat, customers who purchase any frame worth ₱6,990 and above can get a second selected designer frame for only ₱66. The offer runs until October 31, 2026, at George Optical branches nationwide.

The milestone promo coincides with the brand’s 66 years of strong ties with the Filipino people, growing from a single optical clinic into a broader eye-care institution while remaining anchored on the same principles that shaped its beginnings: quality, expertise, service, and genuine care.

At the helm of that evolution is a simple philosophy: George cares.

Looking ahead: A modern approach to eye care

Today, George Optical continues to expand beyond prescription eyewear, embracing technology, specialized eye care, and more personalized patient care.

Leading this evolution is Dr. Geoffrey Co, President and CEO of George Optical, representing the second generation of the Co family to carry the company forward.

Dr. Geoffrey graduated with First Class Honours from City University in London in 1993 and trained at Moorfields Eye Hospital, where he gained experience in Contact Lens, Low Vision, Glaucoma, and Corneal clinics. His contact lens training included complex cases involving keratoconus, high myopia, post-corneal graft patients, aphakia, and prosthetics.

He went on to top the Philippine Optometry Board Examinations in 1996 and is licensed to practice optometry in both the United Kingdom and the Philippines. He has also served as a resource speaker for optometry organizations and universities, particularly on primary eye care and contact lens fitting.

His contributions to the profession earned national recognition. In 2012, the Professional Regulation Commission named him Most Outstanding Professional in Optometry, while in 2023, he received the Distinction Award from the Philippine Federation of Professional Associations for his private and specialized practice.

Yet for Dr. Geoffrey, carrying the family name forward is about more than professional distinction. It is about preserving a standard of care while ensuring that the brand continues to respond to the changing needs of its patients.

Under his leadership, George Optical has continued to build capabilities in primary eye care, specialized services, technology, and professional practice, building on the foundation his father established more than six decades ago.

As Dr. Geoffrey puts it, “One thing remains constant—George cares.”

Where it all began

That commitment traces back to the remarkable journey of Dr. George Co Sr., the company’s founder.

Born Co Kian Kong in Fujian, China, on September 2, 1930, he came to the Philippines with his father at age seven in search of better opportunities. He worked while studying and took on various jobs, including selling cigarettes on the sidewalk, to support himself.

After World War II, he began working at his uncle’s optical shop. Starting as an all-around houseboy, he cleaned, ran errands, bought food, cooked, and did laundry. Among these responsibilities was the skill that would shape his future: grinding glass lenses and fitting them into spectacle frames.

Rather than remain content with his circumstances, Dr. Co Sr. chose to pursue Optometry. His guiding belief was straightforward: “To attain something of greater value, one must give up something of lesser value.”

The decision proved transformative. He graduated with honors in Optometry and placed among the Top 10 in the Philippine Optometry Board Examinations.

On October 10, 1960, Dr. George Co Sr. and his wife, Mrs. Belen Co, took a decisive step toward building their future by opening the first George Optometric Clinic on Ongpin Street in Binondo.

They did not begin with substantial financial resources. They carried their belongings in a “kariton,” and Dr. Co Sr.’s reputation and the trust he had built with others made the capital needed to establish the clinic possible. He honored that trust by steadily paying his debts as the practice grew.

One patient at a time, the small clinic built a reputation for quality, service, and expertise.

Six decades of seeing what comes next

The company continued to grow alongside the Philippine optical industry.

In 1975, Dr. Co Sr. began producing hard contact lenses, eventually leading to what is now G&B Vision Care Inc. The company established its headquarters in Pasay in 1980, and George Optical continued to evolve beyond traditional prescription eyewear toward a more comprehensive approach to primary eye care.

Much has changed since that first clinic opened on Ongpin Street. Optical technology has advanced, patient needs have evolved, and eye care itself has expanded.

What has remained is the belief that caring for people’s vision requires more than providing a product. It requires expertise, responsibility, and trust.

That philosophy has allowed George Optical to become part of the lives of generations of Filipino families, and it remains at the center of how the brand looks toward its next chapter.

After 66 years, George Optical continues to move forward with the same principle that guided its founder from the beginning: a good name is built through the trust you earn and the care you give, and that remains its closing promise.

66 years later, George still cares—and always will.