Our story begins with our late grandfather, a first-generation migrant from Shanghai who arrived in Malaysia with skilled hands and a visionary heart. In the 1930s, he founded Shu Tong Mow (许同茂) — a pioneering boutique specializing in spectacles and timepieces, nestled in the heart of Georgetown, Penang.

In those early days, modern optics were still new in Penang. Shu Tong Mow earned trust the traditional way — through honest service, careful workmanship, and a deep respect for every customer.

As the second generation stepped forward, Mr. Shu took the helm in the 1970s and led Shu Tong Mow into a new era. Rebranded as Shu Tong Mow Contact Optical, it became one of Malaysia’s early adopters of contact lenses, bringing global innovation into local homes.

It became a modern optical centre for progress, training, and personal care. This era of modernization paved the way for laboratory research, high-tech lens coating development, and a nationwide reputation for excellence.

Families returned, generation after generation — not just to buy glasses, but for guidance they could trust.

In Penang, Shu Tong Mow became a name woven into everyday life — fondly remembered by many Penangites who grew up with it, tied to memories of their first pair of spectacles.

Mr. Shu became a mentor to many aspiring eye care professionals. His quiet dedication and hands-on training nurtured a new generation of opticians and optometrists — several of whom became respected figures in Malaysia's optical field.

Among them was the former President of the Association of Malaysian Optometrists, who once trained under his guidance, now leading the profession he helped shaped.

During this pivotal era, Mr. Shu introduced a breakthrough in eyewear frame manufacturing — ion-plating technology. By applying this advanced finishing process, he produced eyewear frames with superior resilience — resistant to fading, tarnish, and wear, even after decades.

This pioneering use of ion plating in Malaysia set a new benchmark for eyewear longevity and craftsmanship, long before it became industry standard.

In the 1990s, Mr. Shu dedicated his focus to research and development in advanced lens coatings — a field still in its infancy across Southeast Asia. Due to the lack of engineering support in Malaysia at the time, he took his expertise abroad and oversaw the setup and fine-tuning of one of the earliest vacuum coating machines in China and Hong Kong.

Vacuum coating machines required delicate calibration — a deep understanding of temperature control, layer deposition, and refractive index balancing. Mr. Shu’s work laid the foundation for Malaysia’s future optical coating capabilities, eventually bringing this advanced technology home once local readiness matured.

After years of R&D and fine-tuning vacuum coating systems, he helped pioneer one of the industry’s earliest HD anti-reflective coatings — engineered for near-zero reflectivity. The result: lenses with crystalline clarity and ultra-dim surface reflection, minimizing glare and distractions while enhancing both vision and appearance.

Building on decades of in-house manufacturing, we expanded into industrial-grade polycarbonate lenses tailored for occupational and safety eyewear. Engineered for optical clarity and high impact resistance, our lenses comply with key global safety standards — including ANSI Z87.1 (USA) and EN166 (Europe).

Our safety lenses meet stringent regional requirements and are supplied to optical partners across Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Hong Kong. These standards continue to shape our approach to product development and manufacturing precision.

Founded in 2009 by the third generation and led by Mr. Shu’s children, eSaver Optical was built on a clear mission: to make quality eyewear affordable and accessible for all. The optical retail venture quickly grew into one of the largest eyewear chains in northern Malaysia.

We introduced a radical idea for its time: to bypass the middlemen and sell directly to consumers, offering factory-direct, optical-grade eyewear at prices ordinary families could afford.

📍 Notable Milestones:

• 5-Storey Optical Flagship: Our most iconic location transformed a former bank into a multi-level eyewear showroom — offering the widest variety of optical products under one roof.
• 13 Retail Outlets: At its peak, eSaver operated 13 outlets across northern Malaysia — including high-traffic malls and neighborhood locations — creating jobs, access, and a name that stood for value with integrity.

We didn’t just make glasses affordable — we redefined the standard.
We didn’t just serve cities — we went on the road.

A milestone campaign across Northern Malaysia, spanning from Penang Island, Seberang Perai, Alor Setar, Sungai Petani, all the way to Perlis, introduced complete eyewear package at just RM99 — including refraction, frames and lenses.

At a time when optical care was still seen as a luxury by many, this campaign proved that vision care could be high-quality, compassionate, and truly accessible. The RM99 movement helped reshape pricing standards across the industry, and opened the door for thousands to see clearly for the first time.

Community Reach: From school screenings to factory campaigns, we brought refractions and affordable eyewear directly into underserved spaces, helping thousands of Malaysians see clearly.

Long before blue light became a trend, we were already studying its impact. Our SpectroBlue lenses were developed with targeted cut-off filtration in the 400–420nm HEV light range, protecting eyes from digital glare without the heavy yellow tint of early-generation coatings. We refined the formula through wavelength-specific attenuation studies and user testing, ensuring comfort, visual transparency, and lasting wearability.

As user lifestyles diversified, so did our lens solutions. Mr. Shu led innovations in custom lens tinting for occupational and therapeutic use — from colour-enhancing filters to hand-tinted sunglasses and early photochromic development.

These innovations were driven by compassion and clinical insight — crafted especially to support aging eyes sensitive to light, including those affected by cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

These hand-crafted techniques evolved into our signature Chromex photochromic line, offering seamless adaptability for changing light environments.

SaferOptics was founded during the stillness of the COVID-19 lockdown — a time when families, work, and education all moved indoors. As digital exposure surged, the growing impact of screen time on children's eyes became increasingly evident.

As parents and professionals, we set out to design a better option: eyewear that combined clinical-grade blue light protection with child-friendly design.

Drawing on decades of optical expertise and manufacturing capabilities, we launched SaferOptics to address the overlooked needs of young users — especially children with smaller facial features and prolonged exposure to digital devices.

What began as a simple idea has since grown into a purpose-driven brand. Today, SaferOptics offers families eyewear made with safety, comfort, and everyday reliability.

In September 2022, SaferOptics opened its first showroom at Gurney Walk, Penang — offering a welcoming space where families can explore screen-safe eyewear, receive professional guidance, and experience our full product range firsthand.

At the same time, eSaver Optical Bukit Jambul continues to operate under our management — the final outlet from our earlier retail expansion. While other branches have since transitioned, this location remains a reflection of our original values: accessibility, quality, and customer trust.

Together, both locations represent our ongoing commitment to making professional-grade eyewear more approachable and available — for every age, every screen, and every eye that matters.