Journal profile · Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology
ISSN 0161-6420 · eISSN 1549-4713 · Elsevier Inc. · UNITED STATES · Monthly · Founded 1978
Ophthalmology: CAS Zone 1 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 10.19; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,990; median 36 days to acceptance (119 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: hard (Elsevier website: 26%); 373 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Ophthalmology is published by Elsevier Inc. 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, Retinal Diseases and Treatments and Ophthalmology and Visual Impairment Studies, together about 31.8% of its articles. Its main subfields are Ophthalmology and Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The leading clinical journal in the fieldOphthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, serves society by publishing clinical research and other relevant manuscripts that relate to the sense of sight. Excellence is pursued through unbiased peer-review, the advancement of innovation and discovery, and the promotion of lifelong learning.Disclaimer Notice: Statements and opinions expressed in Ophthalmology are those of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of the Academy or publisher, or indicative of Academy views, policy or editorial concurrence. The Editor(s), the Academy, and the Publisher assume no responsibility for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of product liability, negligence, or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein including those in a language other than English. No suggested test or procedure should be carried out unless, in the reader's judgment, its risk is justified and the patient has received information sufficient to give a fully informed consent. Because of the rapid advances in the medical sciences, medical practitioners should obtain independent verification of diagnoses and drug dosages. Discussions, views, and recommendations as to medical procedures, choice of drugs, and drug dosages are the responsibility of the authors. Consumers should consult with their own doctors about their individual health status before making any health decisions. The Academy does not endorse companies, drugs or other products.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Ophthalmology
Editor-in-chief Bennie H. JengPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United States 47, Singapore 5, United Kingdom 3, Australia 3, Canada 1 (60 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Glaucoma and retinal disordersMedicine12.5%
- Retinal Diseases and TreatmentsMedicine10.5%
- Ophthalmology and Visual Impairment StudiesMedicine8.8%
- Corneal surgery and disordersMedicine8.5%
- Intraocular Surgery and LensesMedicine8.1%
- Retinal and Macular SurgeryMedicine7.1%
- Ocular Diseases and Behçet’s SyndromeMedicine4.8%
- Corneal Surgery and TreatmentsMedicine4.2%
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 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 1 |
| 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
- 10.19LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 10.9Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 17.2LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 17.2Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 3.88LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 4LetPub ·
- h-index
- 217LetPub ·
- h-index
- 373OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 12,852OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 3.85OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 4.6%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 22.92%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 136LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 22,697 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 326 | 152 | 119 |
| 2025 | 373 | 233 | 1,119 |
| 2024 | 398 | 234 | 2,988 |
| 2023 | 374 | 265 | 3,922 |
| 2022 | 390 | 206 | 6,167 |
| 2021 | 364 | 224 | 11,236 |
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
36 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 15 days – 87 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 25 days (117 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 64 days
- Sample
- 119 articles with submission and acceptance dates (801 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)
- 2–4 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 26%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 4 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 34 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 37 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 7 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 4,990 / EUR 4,670 / GBP 3,990 / JPY 618,910 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 5,830 | — | — |
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 prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 350 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 3
- Reference style
- AMA
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted10, with length limits
- aao meeting paperAAO Meeting Paper – A manuscript based on material that has or will be presented at an American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting.Length not stated
- correspondenceCorrespondence allows concise commentary about an article published in the journal within 6 months of its online posting. The text should raise a question for c…main text ≤ 700 words · references ≤ 5
- editorialEditorials are usually solicited by the Editor-in-Chief. While unsolicited submissions are welcome, they are rarely considered. Editorials may address clinical …main text ≤ 1,700 words
- manuscriptsManuscripts – A standard submission; a manuscript that does not fall into any of the following categories:Length not stated
- pictures & perspectivesPictures & Perspectives – Photographs, photomicrographs, radiologic or other imaging studies, or procedural illustrations that depict novel features of clinical…Length not stated
- report-invitedReport-Invited – Typically by invitation from the Editorial Board.Length not stated
- reviewIt is the corresponding author’s responsibility to check periodically the status of his/her manuscript. An e-mail with a decision will be sent with instructions…Length not stated
- systematic reviewSystematic Reviews and Meta-AnalysesSystematic reviews seek to collect, synthesize, and critically assess all evidence that fits pre-specified criteria to answe…Length not stated
- systematic review or meta-analysisSystematic Review or Meta-analysis – Please see specific criteria for submission in the Systematic Review/ Meta-analysis in this Guide.Length not stated
- translational science reviewsTranslational Science Reviews – Typically by invitation from the Editorial Board.Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Plagiarism, Preprints, Trial registration / reporting guidelines
- AI use Declaration of generative AI in scientific writing
Where authors use generative artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process, authors should only use these technologies to improve readability and language. Applying the technology should be done with human oversight and control, and authors should carefully review and edit the result, as AI can generate authoritative-sounding output that can be incorrect, incompl…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship Criteria
Authorship changes after submission require a written request signed by all authors. Model summary
The journal adheres to the Uniform Requirements set by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (https://www.icmje.org/) for authorship. Each author must meet criteria for Authorship. The ICMJE recommends that authorship be based on the following 4 criteria:Substantial contributions to conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the w…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosure instructions
Authors must disclose the use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process by adding a statement at the end of their manuscript in the core manuscript file, before the References list. The statement should be placed in a new section entitled ‘Declaration of Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process’. Statement: During the preparation of this work the…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data Sharing
To promote transparency and opportunities for further research, authors of work published in Ophthalmology are encouraged to provide access to relevant datasets in compliance with contemporary reporting standards. Authors may use domain-specific public archives (for example, ClinicalTrials.gov, GenBank, Protein Data Bank), or generic databases (for example, Dataverse, Dryad, Mendeley, or the Open …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Publication Ethics
Authors must confirm compliance with Elsevier Guidelines for Ethics in Publishing. Model summary
Before completing the submission, authors must confirm that their submission conforms with the Elsevier Guidelines for Ethics in Publishing, see https://www.elsevier.com/publishingethics and https://www.elsevier.com/ethicalguidelines.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Authors complete a Journal Publishing Agreement upon acceptance. Model summary
Upon acceptance of an article, authors will be asked to complete a 'Journal Publishing Agreement' (for more information on this and copyright, see https://www.elsevier.com/copyright). An e-mail will be sent to the corresponding author confirming receipt of the manuscript together with a 'Journal Publishing Agreement' form or a link to the online version of this agreement.Subscribers may reproduce …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open Access
Embargo period of 12 months for subscription articles. Model summary
This journal offers authors a choice in publishing their research:Open access• Articles are freely available to both subscribers and the wider public with permitted reuse• An open access publication fee is payable by authors or on their behalf (e.g., by their research funder or institution)Subscription• Articles are made available to subscribers as well as developing countries and patient groups t…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer Review
Editorials undergo peer review whether invited or unsolicited. Model summary
This journal operates a single anonymized review process. All contributions will be initially assessed by the editor for suitability for the journal. Papers deemed suitable are then typically sent to a minimum of two independent expert reviewers to assess the scientific quality of the paper. The Editor is responsible for the final decision regarding acceptance or rejection of articles. The Editor'…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Plagiarism Prior and Repetitive Publication; Plagiarism
The journal will not consider manuscripts that have appeared in other journals, in part or in whole, except in special circumstances approved by the Editor-in-Chief. Likewise, updates of previously published studies that add minimal new information to an existing publication will not be considered. Overlap between patient groups described in serial manuscripts must be acknowledged, and references …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprint Server
For work submitted to a preprint server, it is the corresponding author's responsibility to promptly update the preprint server entry to indicate when a paper has been accepted and is currently in press; the author must add proper citation of the online version to the preprint server entry to point users to the peer-reviewed, accepted version of the article.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Trial registration / reporting guidelines Clinical Trials and Clinical Trial Registration
A clinical trial is defined as any study that prospectively assigns human participants or groups of humans to one or more health-related interventions to evaluate the effects on health outcomes. With regards to the reporting of clinical trials, Ophthalmology's policies are similar to the policies of The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), and The Journal of the American Medical Association (JA…
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 Inc.
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1978
- ISSN
- 0161-6420
- Electronic ISSN
- 1549-4713
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Ophthalmology
What CAS zone is Ophthalmology in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, 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 1 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Ophthalmology?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 10.19; CiteScore 17.2, h-index 373.
How long does peer review take at Ophthalmology?
Based on the dates recorded on 119 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 36 days (interquartile range 15–87 days); authors report an average review time of 2–4 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Hard (Elsevier website: 26%)”. 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 Ophthalmology?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 350 words; Keywords: ≥ 3; Reference style: AMA; 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 Ophthalmology based?
Of the 60 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (47), Singapore (5) and United Kingdom (3). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Ophthalmology?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Ophthalmology is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Ophthalmology open access, and what is the APC?
Ophthalmology is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,990.
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 2026-08-26). Last updated: .