Please consult the following Publication Guidelines when submitting to Optometric Education and contact the Managing Editor at submissions@opted.org for further clarification.
Circulation
Optometric Education (Optom Educ), ISSN 1933-8880, is a peer-reviewed, national and international publication of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO). Its circulation includes all of the accredited optometric education institutions in the United States, as well as students, practitioners, government leaders and others in the health sciences and education. It is indexed in Visionet, Vision Cite, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) 1979-2003, and Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). Its readership also extends to numerous optometry schools outside the US.
Publication of Optometric Education follows the academic calendar with three standard issues per year:
- Issue #1 – Fall
- Issue #2 – Winter/Spring
- Issue #3 – Summer
Established in 1975 as the Journal of Optometric Education (J Optom Educ), it is the forum for communication and exchange of information pertinent to optometric education. It is the only publication devoted entirely to optometric education.
Aim & Scope
The goal of the journal is to embrace and support scholarly achievements for the advancement of optometric education and the profession. The scope of the journal supports a broad interpretation of scholarship based on the scholarship of discovery, integration, application and teaching.
Peer Reviewed Articles
- Discovery — original research
- Integration — novel insights, interpreting themes in discoveries, identifying connections between discoveries, e.g., literature synthesis, conceptual framework
- Application — building bridges between theory and practice, e.g., teaching case reports
- Teaching — communicating one’s knowledge, facilitating students’ learning, enhancing self-directed learning, e.g., comparison of teaching methodologies, development of new pedagogy
Non-Peer Reviewed Articles
- Editorials – Columns written by the Editor or Associate Editor
- Guest Editorials – Invited guests who contribute their knowledge and thoughts on a particular theme or subject
- Letters to the Editor
- The Think Tank
- My Best Day in Optometric Education – Educators and Students are encouraged to submit personal essays describing a particularly satisfying or exciting day in their programs.
- Educator’s Podium
- Educator’s Toolkit
- Special Reports
- Literature Reviews
- Book Reviews
Fees
There are no article processing charges (APCs), submission charges, page charges, color charges or any instance where money is required to complete the publication process.
Open Access & License
This is an open access journal, which means all content is freely available without charge to the user or the user’s institution. A limited license to use Optometric Education for personal, educational or other non-commercial use is provided to ASCO members and the general public. Users can distribute copy or use the material in a presentation or make derivative works with proper attribution (citation). No part of this journal may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means for any commercial purpose without permission in writing from ASCO.
When citing articles published in the Journal of Optometric Education (1975-2003) and Optometric Education (2003-present), authors should use the NLM abbreviations of J Optom Educ for articles published between 1975-2003 and Optom Educ for articles published after 2003.
Copyright
© Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry. This journal and the individual contributions contained therein are protected under copyright by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: consideration for publication is based on assurance the manuscript is not being considered by any other publication nor been previously published. Authors must sign a statement transferring copyright to the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry. All materials contained on the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (“ASCO”) website are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast for commercial purposes without the prior written permission of ASCO, or in the case of third-party materials, the owner of that content. The ASCO website and materials are provided solely for individual, educational and non-commercial purposes.
Conflict of Interest
Authors must disclose in the cover letter the existence of any financial arrangement(s) with a company or any competitor company whose products figure prominently in the manuscript. For articles in which frequent references are made to name brand devices, medications or products – whether any author has such an affiliation or not – a disclaimer should be submitted for clarification (to be published at the end of the article).
Editor
One of the roles of the journal editor is to ensure that the journal publishes high-quality education articles. In addition to the peer-review process, the editor may review and evaluate articles for publication. All manuscripts must receive an Accept rating before publication.
Manuscripts
Manuscripts are considered for publication with the understanding that they are original contributions and have not been submitted for publication or accepted for publication elsewhere.
All manuscripts should be submitted with elements in this order:
- Title Page
- Abstract and Key Words
- Narrative
- Acknowledgments
- IRB Status
- Conflict(s) of Interest
- Disclaimers
- References
- Footnotes
- Tables and Figures
- Appendices
Title Page
The title page should include the manuscript’s title, the author’s (authors’) name(s) and a brief bio (1-3 sentences) of each author. In a multi-authored manuscript, the person who has made the most significant intellectual contribution to the work should be listed first, regardless of academic rank or professional status. Only those who have made a substantial contribution to the design and execution of the work and the writing of the manuscript should be included as authors. Title page should also list contact information for the corresponding author, including phone number and email address.
Abstract & Key Words
Abstracts should be typed on a separate sheet of paper in one paragraph and should not exceed 100 words. Abstracts should be as informative as possible. Authors should select approximately five key words that reflect the primary subject matter of the paper. The purpose of key words is to assist reference librarians and others in retrieval and cross-indexing. For a research article, the abstract should describe the problem or topic addressed, how the study was prepared/conducted, the most important results, and what can be concluded from the results.
Acknowledgements
Only those who have made a substantial contribution to the study should be acknowledged. Authors are responsible for obtaining written permission from those acknowledged by name because readers may infer that acknowledged persons have endorsed the methods and conclusions of the manuscript. Many contributions justify acknowledgement, but not authorship. Such contributions might include technical help, financial support, sources of materials, and persons who have contributed intellectually to the development of the manuscript.
IRB Status
If the study referenced in the manuscript was required to be approved by the author’s Institutional Review Board, include a sentence stating the IRB outcome and the institution’s name.
Conflicts of Interest
Authors must include a statement disclosing the existence of any financial arrangement(s) with a company or any competitor company whose products figure prominently in the manuscript.
Disclaimers
For articles in which frequent references are made to name brand devices, medications or products – whether any author has such an affiliation or not – a disclaimer should be submitted for clarification.
References
Place the list of references at the end of the narrative, following the acknowledgments, if included. References should be listed in sequential order as they are cited in the text by superscript numbers. Accuracy of citations is of major importance because it makes each specific reference retrievable by the reader. Authors should make every attempt to cite references that are relevant, original and current and only the references actually consulted. Authors should avoid citing a secondary source, i.e., a source referenced within another source. Authors should always read and cite the original work (the primary source). If it is not possible to obtain the original work, authors should indicate this in the text of the manuscript by noting the names of the authors of both the primary and secondary source. In the reference list of the paper, the citation for the secondary source (the source the author read) should be provided.
References to personal communication, unpublished information and papers either “in preparation” or “submitted for publication” are discouraged. Manuscripts that have been submitted for consideration for publication, but have not been accepted, should not be referenced.
Most optometric journals have adopted the style of references used by the US National Library of Medicine (NLM). In addition to these guidelines, Optometric Education has adopted stylistic guidelines used by our editorial team. Please consult the sample references sheet.
Footnotes
Footnotes may be used to designate a non-retrievable citation or a personal communication. A footnote can also be used to identify sources of equipment or instruments. Footnotes should be identified with small superscript lower-case letters in alphabetical order in the text and referred to at the end of the text of the manuscript under a listing “Footnotes.”
Tables and Figures
Authors should consult the Council of Science Editors (CSE) style manual for further information on preparation of tables, figures, video and other illustrative material.
Appendices
Occasionally it is necessary for the author(s) to supply subordinate information that is relevant to the study but that might distract the reader or be cumbersome because of excessive detail, e.g., computer programs, mathematical formulas, address lists, surveys or other data. Such information can be presented in an Appendix rather than in the main body of the manuscript. Appendices should be labeled Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix C, etc. Each should have a short, descriptive title.
These instructions are in accordance with the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals (Uniform Requirements).
Institutional Review Board
All research studies must be reviewed by an Institutional Review Board or equivalent ethical board. The outcome of the review process must be stated in the manuscript. This includes studies that are considered exempt.
Types of Submissions
Peer-Reviewed Submissions
1. Research Articles
The goal of scientific writing is effective communication. More specifically, its goal is to communicate abstract propositions, logical arguments, empirical observations and experimental results, including their inter-relationships and interactions. Authors should use the active voice (“this study shows” rather than “it is shown by this study”) and the first person (“I did” rather than “the author did”). The past tense is appropriate for describing what was done in an experiment; the present tense is suitable for referring to data in tables and figures. Manuscripts should be organized within the framework of a standard outline for reporting of studies, experiments or other research projects: Abstract, Background, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion.
Background
The background has several functions. It acquaints the reader with other relevant work performed in the subject area. Only contributions that bear on the interpretation of the results should be referenced. The background also presents the general nature of the problem to be addressed, the specific aspect of the problem that was studied, and the hypothesis and the manner in which it was tested.
Methods
The methods should be described in enough detail so others could replicate them. However, if portions of the methods have been described elsewhere, a summary with appropriate citations is sufficient. It is essential to describe how case and control subjects were selected for a study. It is important to describe any commercially available apparatus used in the study by identifying the manufacturer’s name and address. Brief descriptions of methods that have been published but may not be universally understood should be presented. In addition, limitations of the methods employed should be presented, and new or modified methods should be described in detail. It is important to identify precisely all contact lenses, chemicals, drugs or ophthalmic lenses, including generic names, dosages, and administration where appropriate
Results
The results should be presented in a logical order, emphasizing only important findings of the study without elaboration. Limitations of the results and any implications should be stated. The statistical analysis, if any, should be clear and relevant.
Discussion
The discussion should elaborate on the data, noting the inter-relationships among the results and relating them to the original question asked in the study. Acceptance or rejection of the hypothesis should be stated. In addition, the discussion should emphasize any unique or new aspects of the study and discuss the relevancy of the results. It is important to draw those conclusions that can be supported by the results. Implications for basic and applied issues should be stated wherever possible.
Conclusion
Inferences, future research implications and the uses of findings in practical decision-making are summarized. Strengths and weaknesses of the study may be summarized as well as potential impact of the study.
2. Teaching Case Reports
Teaching Case Reports should be drawn from an actual patient encounter. They should not be a composite of cases or fictionalized descriptions. They are meant to serve as a teaching and learning experience. Therefore, the teaching case report must contain education elements that represent how to teach and assess the material. Teaching case reports should include: Abstract, Background, Case Description, Education Guidelines (including learning objectives, key concepts, discussion questions, teaching methodology and assessment), Discussion, Conclusion, References, Acknowledgments and Disclosures. The abstract, references, disclosures and acknowledgments should follow the same criteria as outlined for a scholarly communication or research article.
Background
The background is a brief introduction to the case, including intended audience (e.g., first-year students, residents, third-year students, etc.), relevance of the case (“so what” and “who cares”) along with background information on the ocular condition/disease presented in the case. The intended audience may be identified for the entire case or may differ for different aspects of the case. How the case can be used for different cohorts of participants and the knowledge base needed to participate in the case should be identified.
Case Description
The case description includes the presentation of the case. The author should hold all discussion points until the discussion section. This allows educators to extrapolate data from the case without having to dissect out discussion comments. Tables, graphs, diagrams and pictures can be helpful. Inclusion of original test results, e.g., visual fields, optical coherence tomography, etc., is encouraged. Follow-up visits can be presented individually or summarized for conciseness. Patients should be described as a person and not a case, and patient confidentiality should be respected at all times.
Education Guidelines
This section must include the information needed to facilitate a discussion of the case. This includes: learning objectives, key concepts, discussion questions, teaching methodology and assessment.
Learning Objectives
The information/knowledge base/skills that should be learned by the end of the case.
Key Concepts
The fundamental concepts related to the case. These are concepts that will help to illuminate the case and aid in the understanding of the case. This may involve pathophysiology, communication, critical thinking, etc.
Examples:
- A teaching case report on dry eye may report key concepts of: tear film stabilization, hyperosmolarity, inflammatory response, and nerve stimulation
- A teaching case report involving a missed or incorrect diagnosis may include as key concepts: confirmation bias or anchoring bias
- A teaching case report about ocular manifestations of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) may have key concepts of: cell death and the impact of dopamine deficiency, the eyecare provider’s role in improving the patient’s quality of life, and changes in retinal thickness and eye tracking as potential biomarkers for early detection of PD
Discussion Questions
Relevant or key questions to facilitate discussion of the case.
Teaching Methodology
How the case should be taught. This can include elements of methodology as well as teaching philosophy. This section must include some theory on teaching/learning such as adult learning theory, use of repetition, use of gaming, etc. Other elements such as large group setting, small group, virtual setting, clinical setting, etc., may be included. Additionally, a description of the format: lecture, problem-based learning, inquiry-based learning, case analysis, etc., must be included.
Assessment
The education guidelines must also include an explanation of how the learning objectives will be assessed. If appropriate, sample assessment tools or questions are welcomed.
Discussion
The discussion section should be used as a vehicle for teaching the case. It should reflect clinical as well as education elements. Teaching methodology and discussion questions should drive the discussion. The discussion section should include a summary and interpretation of key findings, comparison to known findings in the literature, how and why decisions were made and, if applicable, what lessons are to be learned from this experience. When applicable, standard of care for treatment and diagnosis should be supported by professional guidelines, landmark studies or systematic review. This enhances the learning experience.
Conclusion
A conclusion should summarize the case and learning experience.
3. Scholarly Communications
This type of manuscript generally communicates in a scholarly manner an idea, concept or information that is relevant to health professions educators. This type of manuscript supports the scholarship of integration, application and/or teaching. Therefore, communication manuscripts must contain scholarly elements, such as novel insights, interpreting themes in discoveries, identifying connections between discoveries, links between theory and practice, comparisons or analysis of teaching methodologies, etc. All types of scholarship should contain a clear understanding of the current literature and links to past scholarly work.
Manuscripts on course material, curriculum, program, pedagogy, teaching activity or programs may be considered communication pieces if the manuscript is written in a scholarly manner with scholarly components
Scholarly communications can also review a body of literature on a specific subject for the purpose of providing health professions educators with guidelines or recommendations regarding the subject matter. Headings for a communications paper do not usually follow the standard format for a research paper, but the author should use headings and subheadings that promote understanding of the topic.
Non-Peer Reviewed Submissions
1. Educator’s Podium
The Educator’s Podium is a forum that provides an opportunity for optometric educators to share, think and question any area related to the education process or improving patient care. It is an opinion-based, non-peer-reviewed forum. These submissions should be descriptive or pose a challenging education dilemma or problem.
Submit all contributions to submissions@opted.org The journal editor will review the submission and determine if it is appropriate for this forum. The submission may be returned for minor revisions or comments. Submissions should be a minimum of 500 words and a maximum of 1,500 words.
2. Guest Editorials
Invited guests who contribute their knowledge and thoughts on a particular theme or subject
3. My Best Day in Optometric Education
Educators and Students are encouraged to submit personal essays describing a particularly satisfying or exciting day in their programs.
4. Additional Submissions
- Article (Literature) Reviews
- Book Reviews
- Letters to the Editor
- Special Reports
Submitting a Manuscript
The submission packets should be sent to submissions@opted.org
Submitting for Consideration
When submitting a manuscript for consideration, the submission package must include the following components. All components must be submitted before the manuscript will be considered for the review process.
Submission Package Components
- The intact manuscript with consecutively numbered pages beginning with the title page.
- A cover letter identifying corresponding author and containing the following declarations:
- the manuscript has been approved by all authors (for multi-authored papers)
- the manuscript has not been submitted for, accepted for, or previously published elsewhere
- a disclosure stating whether or not the author(s) have any financial arrangements with any company whose products figure prominently in the manuscript
- and a disclosure stating whether or not the author(s) used artificial intelligence (AI) in creating any portion of the submission
- Cover Letters may be submitted as Word documents (.docx) or PDFs and should be separate from the body of the manuscript
- Copies of permission letters from all additional authors (attached to the Cover Letter).
- A blind copy of the manuscript omitting the author’s (authors’) name(s), institution(s), or other identifying information that may allow a reviewer to deduce the author’s (authors’) identity (identities).
- Manuscript copies, both intact and blind, must be submitted as Word documents (.docx). Track changes should be turned off, section breaks removed, and any properties identifying the author or the person who last saved the document removed.
Submitting for Publication
Upon notification of a paper’s acceptance, the corresponding author shall submit the final revision package to the Managing Editor.
Final Revision Package Components
- An intact manuscript with consecutively numbered pages beginning with the title page. Tables and Figures should be inserted in the preferred location within the narrative.
- Title Page
- Abstract and Key Words
- Narrative
- Acknowledgments
- IRB Status
- Conflict(s) of Interest
- Disclaimers
- References
- Footnotes
- Appendices
- Copyright Transfer Forms signed by each author.
- Files for tables, figures and appendices attached individually and saved in the appropriate formats.
- Tables and figures should be saved as either .png or .jpg files and with a minimum resolution of 200 dpi
- Appendices should be saved as .pdf
- Videos should be saved as .mp4
Peer-Review Process
All research, teaching case reports and communication manuscripts submitted for publication are reviewed by two or more members of the journal’s editorial review board or, in some cases, two or more independent referees who are experts in the subject area of the manuscript. Reviewers’ identities are kept confidential as are authors’ identities
Every effort is made to publish manuscripts within 12 months from initial submission.
The reviewers make a recommendation to the editor (see Appendix A below). Authors will be advised of the status of the manuscript and receive appropriate feedback.
If revisions to the manuscript are needed, authors must submit to the managing editor, both an intact and “blind” copy of the revised manuscript, as well as the review forms containing the reviewers’ comments listing how each of the comments or suggestions was addressed. Track changes should be turned off, section breaks removed, and any properties identifying the author or the person who last saved the document removed.
Some contributions to the journal are not peer-reviewed. Non-peer-reviewed contribution types are listed in the Aim & Scope section above.
Appendix A: Reviewer’s Recommendation to Editor:
| Status | Description | Comment | Re-review needed | Indicate category that applies |
| Accept | No further revisions by the author are needed. The paper is acceptable to be published. Minor grammatical or language changes may be done by the managing editor. | This category should be reserved for an exceptional paper that needs only minor grammatical changes. | No | |
| Reconsider after minor revisions | The author(s) needs to make minor revisions. | Papers in this category may need minor grammatical changes or minor changes in clarity/depth of info. | Yes, re-review by reviewer | |
| Reconsider after moderate revisions | The paper has moderate flaws but most likely is fixable by the author(s). Revisions to the existing paper are needed. | Yes, re-review by reviewer | ||
| Reject; Not suitable for publication in its present form | The paper has major, significant flaws. The quality of the paper necessitates a complete rewrite. This may be secondary to significant grammatical / language problems, not appropriately following scientific format, lack of scholarly components as described in the publication guidelines or other significant problems. | This category indicates that the study/paper may be salvageable but needs to be completely reevaluated and re written by the author(s). | Resubmission is needed; the paper may be sent back to the original reviewers or reassigned. | |
| Reject | The topic is not suitable for the readership or major flaws in the study methodology, science, data collection, logic or other significant problems that cannot be corrected. | This category indicates that the study/paper is not salvageable. |
Publication Guidelines revised January 2026