Journal profile · Ophthalmology
American Journal of Ophthalmology
ISSN 0002-9394 · eISSN 1879-1891 · Elsevier USA · UNITED STATES · Monthly · Founded 1884
American Journal of Ophthalmology: CAS Zone 1 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 4.51; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,300; median 95 days to acceptance (131 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: fairly hard (Elsevier website: 22%); 586 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
American Journal of Ophthalmology is published by Elsevier USA and is in Zone 1 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Glaucoma and retinal disorders, Intraocular Surgery and Lenses and Corneal surgery and disorders, together about 27.6% of its articles. Its main subfields are Ophthalmology and Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The American Journal of Ophthalmology is a peer-reviewed, scientific publication that welcomes the submission of original, previously unpublished manuscripts directed to ophthalmologists and visual science specialists describing clinical investigations, clinical observations, and clinically relevant laboratory investigations. Published monthly since 1884, the full text of the American Journal of Ophthalmology and supplementary material are also presented online at www.AJO.com and on ScienceDirect.The American Journal of Ophthalmology publishes Full-Length Articles, Perspectives, Editorials, and Correspondences. Brief Reports and Case Reports should be submitted to our companion publication, the American Journal of Ophthalmology Case Reports.Manuscripts are accepted with the understanding that they have not been and will not be published elsewhere substantially in any format, that they have not been and will not be submitted elsewhere concurrently, and that there are no ethical problems with the content or data collection. Authors may be requested to produce the data upon which the manuscript is based and to answer expeditiously any questions about the manuscript or its authors. See AJO policies on redundant publication.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Ophthalmology
Editor-in-chief Richard Parrish IIPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 1 in mainland China (about 1%); most named United States 67, Germany 4, Israel 4, Poland 2, Singapore 2 (91 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Glaucoma and retinal disordersMedicine11.4%
- Intraocular Surgery and LensesMedicine9.1%
- Corneal surgery and disordersMedicine7.1%
- Retinal Diseases and TreatmentsMedicine7%
- Retinal and Macular SurgeryMedicine6%
- Ocular Diseases and Behçet’s SyndromeMedicine5.4%
- Ophthalmology and Visual Impairment StudiesMedicine5.4%
- Ocular Surface and Contact LensMedicine4.6%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Ophthalmology | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Ophthalmology | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Ophthalmology | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 4.51LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 4.7Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 8.1LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 8.1Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.85LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 2.03LetPub ·
- h-index
- 171LetPub ·
- h-index
- 292OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 19,707OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 3.88OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 8.5%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 25.59%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 411LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 50,186 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 481 | 142 | 196 |
| 2025 | 586 | 222 | 2,425 |
| 2024 | 469 | 198 | 3,336 |
| 2023 | 351 | 182 | 4,000 |
| 2022 | 369 | 163 | 5,097 |
| 2021 | 468 | 222 | 10,205 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
95 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 49 days – 131 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 5 days (131 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 99 days
- Sample
- 131 articles with submission and acceptance dates (1,247 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- 3–6 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 22%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 6 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 46 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 89 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 4 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 4,300 / EUR 4,020 / GBP 3,440 / JPY 533,330 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 4,480 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare9 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- AMA
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
- Cover letter
- Required
- Not considered
- case report
Article types accepted10, with length limits
- correspondenceFULL-LENGTH ARTICLES - Full-Length Articles include clinical investigations, clinical observations, randomized controlled trials, and clinically relevant labora…Length not stated
- editorialFULL-LENGTH ARTICLES - Full-Length Articles include clinical investigations, clinical observations, randomized controlled trials, and clinically relevant labora…main text ≤ 1,200 words
- letterFULL-LENGTH ARTICLES - Full-Length Articles include clinical investigations, clinical observations, randomized controlled trials, and clinically relevant labora…Length not stated
- meta-analysisFULL-LENGTH ARTICLES - Full-Length Articles include clinical investigations, clinical observations, randomized controlled trials, and clinically relevant labora…Length not stated
- opinionFULL-LENGTH ARTICLES - Full-Length Articles include clinical investigations, clinical observations, randomized controlled trials, and clinically relevant labora…Length not stated
- original articleManuscripts should be double-spaced, in a single column, on standard 8.5 x 11 in. pages. The AJO does not have a page limit per se, but the average Full-Length …main text ≤ 350 words · abstract ≤ 350 words
- perspectiveFULL-LENGTH ARTICLES - Full-Length Articles include clinical investigations, clinical observations, randomized controlled trials, and clinically relevant labora…figures and tables ≤ 8 · references ≤ 35
- review articleFULL-LENGTH ARTICLES - Full-Length Articles include clinical investigations, clinical observations, randomized controlled trials, and clinically relevant labora…Length not stated
- systematic reviewFULL-LENGTH ARTICLES - Full-Length Articles include clinical investigations, clinical observations, randomized controlled trials, and clinically relevant labora…Length not stated
- viewpointFULL-LENGTH ARTICLES - Full-Length Articles include clinical investigations, clinical observations, randomized controlled trials, and clinically relevant labora…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints, Trial registration / reporting guidelines
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Trial registration / reporting guidelines Clinical Trials and Clinical Trial Registration
The AJO recommends that researchers and authors adopt and adhere to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers (PhRMA) "Principles for the Conduct of Clinical Trials and Communication of Clinical Trial Results." These principles describe the relationship of PhRMA member companies with others involved in clinical research and set forth the rules companies have volunteered to follow in order to p…
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier USA
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1884
- ISSN
- 0002-9394
- Electronic ISSN
- 1879-1891
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about American Journal of Ophthalmology
What CAS zone is American Journal of Ophthalmology in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, American Journal of Ophthalmology is in Zone 1 of Medicine, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Ophthalmology; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of American Journal of Ophthalmology?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 4.51; CiteScore 8.1, h-index 292.
How long does peer review take at American Journal of Ophthalmology?
Based on the dates recorded on 131 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 95 days (interquartile range 49–131 days); authors report an average review time of 3–6 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly hard (Elsevier website: 22%)”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of American Journal of Ophthalmology?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: AMA; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required; Suggested reviewers: Optional; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: Optional; Cover letter: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of American Journal of Ophthalmology based?
Of the 91 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 1 (about 1%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (67), Germany (4) and Israel (4). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index American Journal of Ophthalmology?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, American Journal of Ophthalmology is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is American Journal of Ophthalmology open access, and what is the APC?
American Journal of Ophthalmology is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,300.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-24). Last updated: .