Submit Your Manuscript

Share your clinical and translational ophthalmology research with the global eye care community.

JOS publishes clinical and translational ophthalmology research. Before proceeding, confirm your manuscript addresses:

Complete these steps before uploading to reduce delays and improve the quality of review:

• Confirm scope alignment and clinical impact in the abstract and cover letter
• Prepare high-resolution imaging and patient consent documentation
• Verify ethics approvals and trial registration where applicable
• Organize data tables, statistical outputs, and supplementary files
• Check references for Vancouver style consistency

JOS accepts the following submission types:

• Original Research: Clinical trials, observational studies, surgical series, diagnostic studies (3,000-6,000 words)
• Review Articles: Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, or comprehensive narrative reviews (4,000-8,000 words)
• Case Reports: Unusual presentations, rare conditions, or novel treatment approaches (1,500-2,500 words)
• Surgical Techniques: Detailed descriptions of new or modified procedures (2,000-3,500 words)
• Brief Communications: Preliminary findings or pilot studies (1,000-1,500 words)

1. Prepare: Format your manuscript per our Instructions for Authors
2. Register: Create an account on ManuscriptZone (if new user)
3. Upload: Submit manuscript file, figures, supplementary materials, and consent forms
4. Cover Letter: Include a statement on scope alignment and any conflict disclosures

JOS uses ManuscriptZone for secure submission tracking, reviewer communication, and revision management. The portal allows authors to monitor status updates and respond to editorial requests efficiently.

• Use ManuscriptZone for standard submissions and revision uploads
• Submit all required files together to avoid processing delays
• For technical issues or file limits, contact [email protected]
• Use the quick submission form only for preliminary inquiries

• Ethics approval and consent: IRB details or waiver justification
• Conflicts of interest: Financial and non-financial disclosures
• Funding: Grant numbers or "no external funding"
• Data availability: Repository links or access procedures
• Author contributions: CRediT roles for each author
• AI tool disclosure: Any AI-assisted image analysis or writing

Most review delays come from missing documentation or unclear imaging standards. A complete submission helps editors assign reviewers quickly and reduces back-and-forth requests.

• Missing ethics approval, consent documentation, or trial registration
• Unlabeled imaging files or inconsistent figure references
• Incomplete statistical reporting or missing outcome definitions
• Figures embedded in text instead of separate uploads
• References not aligned to Vancouver style

• Align your abstract with the main clinical findings and outcomes
• Include clear figure legends with standardized imaging terminology
• Explain statistical methods and provide baseline comparisons
• Label tables and figures consistently with the text
• Summarize limitations and clinical implications clearly

• Initial Screening: Editor-in-Chief evaluates scope fit and quality (5 business days)
• Peer Review: Single-blind review by ophthalmology specialists (2-4 weeks)
• Decision: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Reject
• Publication: Articles go live within 2 weeks of acceptance and payment

Revisions are an opportunity to strengthen clarity and clinical impact. Provide a structured response that addresses every reviewer comment.

• Include a point-by-point response letter with page or line references
• Highlight revisions in the manuscript
• Explain any requested changes you cannot make
• Update figures, tables, and imaging captions as needed
• Recheck ethics statements and data availability after revisions

Once accepted, you will receive an APC invoice and a production schedule. Our team coordinates copyediting, typesetting, and proof review to ensure clinical accuracy.

• Approve page proofs and confirm author details promptly
• Verify image quality and legends in production proofs
• Confirm supplementary files and surgical videos
• Share the published article across professional networks

Careful proof review is essential for clinical accuracy. Authors should verify numerical values, surgical descriptions, and imaging labels to ensure the final publication reflects the clinical record precisely.

Clear writing improves reviewer comprehension and accelerates decisions. We recommend language editing before submission for authors who are not native English speakers.

For questions about scope fit, file preparation, or submission status, contact the editorial office at [email protected] and include your manuscript ID for faster support.

• Define abbreviations at first use and keep terminology consistent
• Use concise headings to guide clinical readers through methods and results
• Ensure figure captions explain key clinical findings
• Keep surgical steps and outcomes clearly labeled
• Summarize clinical implications in the discussion section

Well-structured manuscripts improve reviewer confidence and shorten revision cycles.

Keep terminology consistent and avoid unnecessary jargon to improve clinical readability.

Clear figure labeling helps reviewers interpret imaging findings quickly.

Thank you for your careful preparation.