A brief history of IGARD
Timeline 

2000: The original idea of IGARD was conceived to extend help to local children and adults suffering from vision deficits that are not typically treated medically or surgically.

2002: An informal group came together with a common objective to help children and adults to Improving and Guarding Against Reading Difficulties (IGARD) through optometric and therapeutic interventions. Today, it continues to attract likeminded individuals to join the group.

2003: IGARD is formally registered as a company in Singapore. The first usage of this name can be traced nearly 80 years ago when perspex materials was first introduced in the U.K. and worldwide to avoid lens breakage during the war.

2004: IGARD was formerly established through seed fund from Founding Chairman A/Professor Hian Poh; Incorporation of IGARD Pte Ltd (Singapore); Establishment of IGARD @ Orchard. 

2005: Setup of IGARD Corporate Division which partnered numerous institutions and organisations throughout Singapore to offer Corporate and Community Eye Care Programmes (Formerly headed by Doris Goh and Peggy Peh); Initiated IGARD Occupational and Visual Ergonomics Consultancy and the provision of Laboratory and Industrial Safety Eyewear with Infield, U.K.; Establishment of IGARD @ Kent Ridge (Formerly based at Yusof Ishak House in National University of Singapore). 

2006: Member of Orchard Road Business Association; Collaboration with NTU Medical Centre (Previously Gethin-Jones Medical Clinic); Establishment of IGARD @ Jurong (Nanyang Technological University); International Collaboration with Sports Vision Opticians in Manchester, U.K. which ceased in 2010 with the new partnership with Sports Physio Eye Development Worldwide. 

2007: Company Restructuring from 2007-2008 and Establishment of IGARD Group Singapore and IGARD Kids! by Paediatric Optometry Pte Ltd (2008; in Orchard Road): Singapore's first Optometric Vision Therapy Centre; First in Singapore to be accredited for Behavioural Optometry and Vision Therapy; Singapore's Solo Bambini from U.S.A. (only at IGARD @ Orchard).

2008: Introduction of a new team led by Senior Consultant Optometrist Yap Tiong Peng; First in Singapore to acquire the Cerium Intuitive Colorimeter Mark III for accurate diagnosis and evaluation of Irlen Syndrome, Pattern Glare and Visual Stress; First in Asia to comply with guidelines from the International Institute of Colorimetry; First in Singapore to introduce the Wayne Saccadic Fixator that is used during Vision Therapy. 

2009: Collaboration with ValueHealth Medical Clinic (IGARD @ Choa Chu Kang) (which then relocated to Bukit Timah in 2010); Collaboration with ValueSight International which oversees optical retail operations, corporate eye care projects, schools vision plans and community eye care initiatives (Headed by Senior Consultant Optometrist Andy Teo); First to incorporate a comprehensive suite of Carl Zeiss and Humphrey Instrumentation (IGARD @ Orchard) and the use of i.Scription technology in Singapore; Introduction of the Children Myopia Plan and School Eye Care Initiatives. 

2010: Relocation of IGARD @ Choa Chu Kang to Bukit Timah; New Partnership with Sports Physio Eye Development Worldwide to provide sports-, developmental- and learning-related vision therapy and physiotherapy in Bukit Timah (Headed by Carolina Lee); "Optometric Approach in Sports Vision" presented at the International Sports Sciences Conference; Key members from IGARD (Yap Tiong Peng and Evelyne Saysana) were part of the expert committee that established guidelines for Vision Therapy under the Singapore Health Ministry. 

2011: Expert Opinion (IGARD Occupational and Visual Ergonomic Consultancy) to numerous media channels to highlight issues such as computer vision syndrome, 3D visual technologies and visual stress, including many magazines, newspapers and TV interviews.

2012: Relocation of IGARD @ Orchard (International Building) and Bukit Timah to 51 Cuppage Road. The re-opening was officiated by Professor Bruce Evans (Institute of Optometry, UK; City University London); IGARD and Senior Consultant Optometrist Yap Tiong Peng was on Channel News Asia and MediaCorp Channel 8 on Dyslexia and Vision; Introduction of Advanced Orthokeratology Refractive Therapy for Pediatric Myopia Control by Senior Consultant Optometrists Rachel Kelly and Yap Tiong Peng. 

2013: Collaboration with an international panel to review "Dyslexia and Vision: Current Evidence and Clinical Interventions" which is published on the Medical Grapevine Asia; the topic has been presented by Yap Tiong Peng and Christine Fitzmaurice in numerous conferences and institutions in Singapore and Malaysia. 

2014: Partnership with Early Childhood Vision Development (Singapore); Establishment of IGARD Early Childhood Vision Development Sdn Bhd (Malaysia); Singapore Brands Award; Inaugural IGARD Conference. 

2015: Awarded Singapore Promising Brands; Partnership in Continuing Education: 5-Day Course on Paediatric Optometry delivered by IGARD Group Singapore (completed two intakes for this course) and other courses.