Journal of Ophthalmic Science · ISSN 2470-0436
Special Issues and Proposals
A JOS Special Issue is a focused collection in ophthalmology or vision science, governed by the same ethics, peer-review and editorial-decision standards as a regular submission.
Proposal routeVerified 3 August 2026
Propose a Special IssueJOS welcomes proposals for focused collections that address important questions in ophthalmology and vision science. Researchers with relevant expertise are invited to review the proposal requirements and contact the editorial office.
I
Purpose and limits
A Special Issue may bring together research on a defined ophthalmic question that is broader than one article but narrower than the journal’s full remit. The proposed theme must have a clear connection to eye disease, visual function, ophthalmic diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, prevention or delivery of eye care.
A proposal is an editorial planning document. Its review does not constitute approval of a collection, an invitation to publish, or a decision on any manuscript. Every submitted article is screened and peer reviewed independently on its own evidence.
Payment, invitation, proposal approval or service as a Guest Editor does not guarantee peer review, acceptance or publication and does not confer priority over regular submissions.
II
What a proposal must establish
A proposal may be submitted by an ophthalmologist, vision scientist or other researcher whose expertise is directly relevant to the theme. It should make the collection assessable before any invitation is issued.
- Theme and rationale
- A precise title, the ophthalmic question addressed, why a focused collection is warranted and how it differs from routine coverage.
- Scope and boundaries
- Topics that are within scope, topics that are excluded, intended article types and the ophthalmic or vision-science contribution required of every manuscript.
- Guest editorial team
- Names, affiliations, relevant expertise, publication record, ORCID iDs where available and a complete declaration of financial and non-financial interests.
- Editorial plan
- A realistic proposal, invitation, submission and review schedule; reviewer pools; handling capacity; and a plan for manuscripts involving the Guest Editors or close collaborators.
- Integrity plan
- How human-participant ethics, trial registration, patient privacy, ophthalmic-image integrity, data availability and device or pharmaceutical interests will be checked.
III
Assessment before launch
A collection opens after its theme, editorial responsibility and safeguards are approved and a named Guest Editor is publicly accountable for the collection.
- Scope reviewConfirm a specific ophthalmic contribution and exclude generic medical or technical themes.
- Expertise reviewVerify the proposed Guest Editors’ relevant subject and editorial competence.
- Conflict reviewRecord interests, recusals and independent handling arrangements before invitations begin.
- Capacity reviewAssess reviewer availability, editorial workload and whether the proposed schedule is credible.
- Written approvalDocument title, scope, team, dates, manuscript handling and conditions for amendment or closure.
IV
Governance of an approved collection
Independent peer review
Manuscripts that proceed to external peer review follow the JOS single-blind model and are normally assessed by at least two independent ophthalmology specialists.
Decision authority
Guest Editors may coordinate reviews and recommend a decision. Final authority remains with the Editor-in-Chief or an independent editor formally delegated for the manuscript.
Recusal
A Guest Editor must not handle their own submission or a manuscript where a personal, financial, institutional or recent collaborative relationship could compromise objectivity.
Clinical integrity
The same requirements apply to ethics approval, trial registration, patient consent, image processing, data availability, reporting and conflicts of interest as for regular articles.
Charges
The published JOS APC policy applies only after an individual manuscript has been accepted. Fee or waiver decisions are separate from review and editorial decision-making.
Transparency
The collection page should identify its scope, named Guest Editors, relevant interests, verified dates and the journal editor responsible for independent oversight.
V
Amendment, cancellation and closure
A collection may be amended, paused or closed when its approved record no longer provides a safe and credible basis for manuscript handling.
Grounds for intervention
These include loss of an accountable Guest Editor, unmanaged conflicts, inadequate reviewer capacity, material scope drift, unreliable deadlines, insufficient submissions, integrity concerns, or conduct inconsistent with JOS policies. Manuscripts already under consideration must receive documented, independent handling; cancellation of a collection does not predetermine their editorial outcome.
Considering a focused ophthalmic collection?
Review the proposal guidance, then contact the editorial office at [email protected]. Contributor invitations begin after written approval.
Review proposal requirements