TVST Online Submission Instructions for Authors
Translational Vision Science & Technology (TVST), an official journal of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), an international organization whose purpose is to advance research worldwide into understanding the visual system and preventing, treating and curing its disorders, is an online-only, peer-reviewed journal emphasizing multidisciplinary research that bridges the gap between basic research and clinical care.
Scope
- The conceptualization of translational research has expanded since the inception of Translational Vision Science and Technology (TVST).
- The expanded scope of translational research necessitates that we likewise expand the scope of the journal.
- TVST will publish work that fits into phases T1 through T4 translational research. Some examples are as follows:
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- T1: Development and validation of animal models, preclinical drug studies, development of clinically relevant technologies, and phase 1 and 2 clinical studies (“bench to bedside” research).
- T2: Phase 3 clinical trials (including comparative effectiveness trials), phase 4 clinical research, and development of clinical guidelines (“bedside to practice” research).
- T3: Research focused on implementation and dissemination of phase 3 and 4 clinical research results (dissemination and implementation research).
- T4: Research focused on outcomes and effectiveness in populations, including assessment of benefit to communities through public health policies and programs, as well as adoption of proven interventions’ best practices in communities (diffusion research), and cost-benefit analyses.
- This classification scheme is best conceived as a continuum, a natural progression of investigative activity, rather than as a series of clearly defined categories.
- As a result of the change in scope, the number and diversity of publications accepted by the journal is likely to increase compared with past years.
- ARVO's commitment to this expanded scope will enable TVST to better represent the diversity of research that is already represented in platform and poster presentations at the annual ARVO meeting.
- This scope change will enable ARVO to represent the interests of its members and to advance the development and assessment of treatments for blinding diseases worldwide.
*For a more detailed description and discussion please see Marco Zarbin's editorial at TVST 2020;9(8):22.
Short updates on new developments and controversies will be published by invitation. TVST encourages the use of color, multimedia, hyperlinks, program code and other digital enhancements. TVST will utilize and take advantage of every technological innovation afforded by digital data management to optimize TVST’s computer-based reading experience.
Manuscripts from scientists and clinicians with diverse backgrounds ranging from basic
chemistry to ophthalmic surgery, bringing together research that, until now, often has been
published in journals other than those related to ophthalmology, are welcome.
Should I Submit My Paper to IOVS or TVST?
As many realize, the difference in scope between IOVS and TVST is more nuanced than simply "basic" vs. "clinical." To aid authors in deciding for which journal their manuscripts are best suited, we endeavor to provide examples of the types of studies that would best fit in one versus the other. We are asking that authors consider this guidance on scope and carefully choose what they determine to be the best for their manuscript.
Choose TVST if…
-The purpose of your study is to develop and/or validate a clinical biomarker.
-Your study is reporting results from a registered clinical trial (though results from a thorough natural history study that advance understanding of disease process/mechanism would also fit in IOVS).
-Your study is focused on outcomes and effectiveness in populations.
-Your study aims to develop clinical guidelines or relates to the detection, diagnosis, or management of disease.
-Your study describes the development or validation of an animal/tissue/cell model.
-You are depositing a dataset or software paper as part of the Data Science section.
Choose IOVS if…
-Your study is on a clinical or normative population AND advances fundamental understanding of visual system structure and/or function.
-Your study provides insight into disease mechanism (including characterizing structure-function relationships).
-Your study elucidates genotype-phenotype correlations or identifies novel genetic causes of eye disease.
-Your study uses an animal/tissue/cell model to gain insight on normal ocular physiology, biochemical processes, disease mechanism, etc.
Some of the more confusing submissions deal with technology development. If your study develops a new device or method (hardware or software) and the purpose is simply to demonstrate proof of concept or illustrate clinical utility, this would best fit within TVST's scope. However, if you develop a method and use it to elucidate disease mechanisms or advance the understanding of visual system structure and/or function, this would fall within the IOVS scope.
Ultimately, we recognize authors have a choice in where you publish your work and appreciate you considering an ARVO journal. Classical issues like readership are less critical today, given that all articles in IOVS and TVST are open access.
If you have questions about whether your manuscript is within the scope of TVST, please email Dr. Roy Chuck at rchuck@montefiore.org with your pre-submission enquiry.
MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION
New manuscripts should be submitted to https://tvst.msubmit.net.
Users are advised to first check the database to verify and update, if necessary, the
existence of a previous record. Users creating new records will be asked to enter key words and
terms which accurately describe their area(s) of expertise. Membership of ARVO is not a
prerequisite for manuscript submission.
ARVO/TVST TERMS AND POLICIES
MANUSCRIPT TYPES
Articles present new data in one or more areas of vision research and are written
concisely for a broad rather than a highly specialized audience. To be considered for
publication, papers that are merely descriptions of new methods must be exceptional
contributions, with implications extending beyond the particular applied area. Summaries of
meetings/symposia are considered only under special circumstances and only after prior approval
of the EIC. Case reports and obituaries are not considered.
Authors are asked to select the section code that best suits their research area: Artificial Intelligence; Cornea & External Disease; Glaucoma; Lacrimal Apparatus, Eyelids, Orbit; Lens; Low Vision Rehabilitation; Neuro-ophthalmology; Ocular Oncology; Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus; Refractive Intervention; Retina; Telemedicine; Uveitis. The sections are used to organize published articles by subject area in the Table of Contents.
Data Science descriptor articles provide an introduction to and complete description of data sets or software libraries, as well as access to them via links to open access repositories. For a detailed description, please see the Editorial Data Science in Translational Vision Science and Technology. For now, the publication fee for Data Science descriptor articles will be a reduced $300.
- Format for data set papers
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Clinical setting or experimental conditions from which data set was created
- Methods
- Extraction method used
- Validation methods used
- Inclusion / Exclusion criteria
- Public repository DOI link
- Data Summary
- Open source license
- Demographics table describing study population
- Technical Validation
- Results of manual validation of data accuracy and integrity
- Discussion
- Potential uses for the dataset
- Comparison with other public datasets and harmonization with data dictionaries of similar work
- Data Repository
- Checksum for data, algorithm and results
- Documentation on how data can be extracted, parsed, and used
- Data dictionary (add links to exemplary data dictionaries)
- Variable type (int, string, float)
- Variable coded values (eg 0 = Male, 1 = Female)
- Data consistency (code for missing values)
- Data is stored in an open format
- For tabular data: CSV, Tab delimited files
- For text data: JSON, YAML
- For images: PNG
- For binary data: HD5
- Require reader and writer to be released with HD5
- References
- Format for software papers
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Clinical or research need addressed by software package / libraries
- Methods
- Open source languages
- Development / software iteration cycles
- Intended input format
- How external usability of library was assessed
- Software Summary
- Open source license
- Generated outputs from software library
- Comparison with other open source tools as a baseline comparison
- External usability results
- Submission to package registry (pip, gems, CRAN, CPAN, etc.)
- Discussion
- Potential uses for the software
- Limitations of the software
- Software Repository
- Open source license must be present
- Documentation must be present to describe how to use the software library and its functions (arguments, return values)
- Examples should be given
- Link to accepted article once published
- References
Letters to the Editor will be considered for publication relevant to material published in TVST. Letters about material published in TVST may correct errors; provide support or agreement; and offer different points of view, clarification, or additional information. Letters will be reviewed and the author(s) whose article is discussed in a Letter will be given an opportunity to reply.
Methods are articles describing substantial advances rather than incremental improvements in existing methods pertaining to translational research (e.g., new transgenic animal model, new imaging modality, new method for assaying biomarkers). The methods described should serve a broad or important purpose within translational vision science. We encourage submission of supplementary materials, such as computer code or online demonstrations that implement or demonstrate the methods. Articles that primarily report new data or theory should not be submitted to the Methods section. Any commercial interest by an author in the methods described should be clearly stated in the cover letter and in the acknowledgments. Commercial interests are not a bar but they may be considered during review for publication.
New Developments in Vision Research are solicited short reviews of new research
findings or new general methodologies that are of broad interest to the ophthalmic and vision
research community.
Point/CounterPoint are 2 invited articles with opposing views on a specific current
topic. The articles will be peer-reviewed. Each article should be 2-3 pages (final PDF pages).
Pages charges are waived.
Perspectives are personal viewpoints on topics with broad interest (mini-editorial).
Articles will be peer-reviewed. They may be up to 4 pages (final PDF pages), including artwork
and tables. If unsolicited, page charges will apply. If solicited, page charges are waived.
Reviews are meant to sum up the current state of the research on an important topic and are
regarded as being the first place to get authoritative information about that topic. They should
contain new insights on the topic or provide a new synthesis of data.
Review articles should inform the reader about:
- The main contributors to the field
- Recent major advances and discoveries
- Significant gaps in knowledge
- Current debates in the area
- Ideas of where research might go next
Please consider the following issues when writing the manuscript:
- Make sure the review is up to date.
- Consideration of the topic should be comprehensive.
- The review should contain new insights or provide a new synthesis of data.
- The discussion should be fair and balanced in both the work cited and the presentation of
conclusions. It should also be free of commercial bias.
- Recommendations for future research should be realistic and innovative.
- Preferably, the title should catch the reader's attention and be clearly focused on the
subject of the review.
- The figures should be clear and aid the reader in understanding the topic.
- The review must highlight and critically analyze the appropriate references, especially those
of other laboratories.
Overall, the review should significantly advance understanding by providing new insights and
perspectives, not just be a summary of the literature.
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Copyright
- Prior Publication/Duplicate Submission
All submissions must be original. Manuscripts are subjected to iThenticate plagiarism detection analysis prior to review. Manuscripts will not be considered that have been previously published, in full, or in part, in any format, except as an abstract, academic thesis, or in draft form on a non-peer reviewed preprint server. Authors are required upon submission of their manuscript to disclose the existence of any such prior versions of their work, and to ensure that ARVO publishing policies are not in conflict with those of the repository of the original work. An author may submit a manuscript that is part of his or her published thesis, provided that it has been published only as a thesis, and not as part of another journal article. Manuscripts that are currently under review with other journals may not be submitted. Authors must update any postings to a preprint server with the journal published version, as soon as it is available, and provide an appropriate link on the archive site to the copy on the journal website. Authors further agree not to post further updated versions beyond the journal published version. Published conference proceedings articles are not suitable for republication in ARVO journals.
If a manuscript is suspected of being a duplicate submission, i.e., already under consideration at another journal, the review will be halted and the scientific editor of the other journal will be contacted. If it is confirmed that the manuscript is a duplicate submission, the manuscript will be rejected. Depending on the specific situation, the Editor-in-Chief may then refer the case to the ARVO Publications Committee to determine whether the corresponding author should be banned from submitting to the ARVO journals for two years (as either a corresponding author or a contributing author), and whether their institution should be contacted. Banned authors may appeal to the ARVO Board of Trustees.
- License to Publish/Open Access
ARVO deposits all articles indicated as funded by NIH, HHMI, and Wellcome Trust in PubMed
Central on behalf of authors.
TVST is now open access, beginning with articles published Jan. 2016. Authors retain copyright of their articles instead of signing it over to ARVO. Each author must complete a License to Publish (a link to their individual form will be emailed to each author after submission). This license grants ARVO permission, among other things, to publish and distribute the article. Authors will also need to indicate on the form if they are making their article open access under the CC BY-NC-ND or the CC BY license. (We will consider the corresponding author's license selection the official choice if there are any discrepancies among the authors.) For more information about open access, click here.
The Wellcome Trust, as well as some other funders, require authors to select the CC BY license. Please check with your funder for any requirements regarding open access licenses.
Please note that only the CC BY-NC-ND license may be applied to Letters to the Editor and Author Responses, which currently do not have any publication fees. The CC BY license is not an option for Letters and Responses.
- Permissions
If you plan to include figures, photographs, or tables from other publications, obtain written
permission from the copyright holder to reprint such items in TVST, and submit this
permission to the Editorial Office.
Other Policies
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Authorship
The decision on who to include as an author should be discussed and agreed upon prior to the initial submission. For guidelines regarding authorship, please see the ARVO Publications Ethics Statement. If at any time during the peer review process there is a change to the authorship listing, then authors must complete a Change of Authorship form. When removing an author, only the author being removed can make this request and they should also submit a signed letter requesting removal along with this form. Authorship removal requests made by the corresponding author, or other coauthors on the manuscript, are not acceptable.
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Statement for the Use of Animals in Ophthalmic and Vision Research
If experimental animals were used in the research, TVST requires that authors confirm
adherence to the ARVO Statement for the Use of Animals in Ophthalmic and Vision Research in
the Methods section of their manuscript.
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Human Subjects
For research involving human subjects, the ARVO journals require that authors state in the Methods section of their manuscript that their research was conducted in compliance with a suitable accredited Institutional Review Board (IRB) or its equivalent (such as a human ethics committee).
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Publishing data derived from human eye tissues or cells
Based on ARVO's Best Practices for Using Human Eye Tissue in Research, we require authors to provide (where available/relevant) the following information when publishing data derived from human eye tissues or cells in TVST. This information should be provided in the Methods section of the manuscript. If the information is not available, then it should be stated in the Methods as to why not available.
Any publication of the data included should state where the information is gathered, such as from family interviews, eye bank records, or patient medical records (which can help the reader and reviewers assess issues of accuracy). The publication should include an explanation of why any of the minimum information is not available.
Minimum information to be included:
- Age, sex, and other readily available or relevant demographic information (i.e. race/ethnicity of donor)
- Source of the tissue or cells (Examples: Eye bank or other repository, surgical discard, medical examiner, etc.)
- Time interval from death to preservation
- Time interval from death to receipt (or initiation of experiment)
- Method of preservation (Examples: ice, fixation, etc.)
- Cause of death
- Statement on the ethical approval or exemption of use of human tissue
- Inclusion of the following statement in the manuscript: "The human tissue experiments complied with the guidelines of the ARVO Best Practices for Using Human Eye Tissue in Research (Nov2021)."
Additional information as appropriate:
- Donor history of ocular disease, or systemic disease
- Ocular disease noted from evaluation of tissue
- Medication list relevant to ocular health (Examples: eye drops, diabetes medications,chemotherapy, intravitreal injections with anti-VEGF medication, supplement use, etc.)
- Prior ocular surgery (Examples: scleral buckle, trabeculectomy, corneal refractive surgery, etc.)
- Co-morbidities
- Reason for enucleation, if obtained via surgeon/pathologist
- Time on ventilator (if relevant)
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Guidelines for Manuscripts in the Genetics Section
Descriptions of novel associations between genes and ophthalmic diseases
Manuscripts that describe the results of studies investigating novel associations between genetic
variants and disease are of interest. Editors and reviewers will consider sample size and
statistical approaches when evaluating the significance of the observed results. Reviewers or
editors of such studies may ask for replication in a second population, demonstration of
biological activity or proposed biological function related to the sequence variant(s) showing
association, and/or additional measures of significance, such as smaller p values for association
that approach the genome significance levels of 1 x 10-7.
Confirmation of reports of genetic variants recently or rarely associated with ophthalmic
disease
Manuscripts confirming novel genetic associations are of interest, and those that confirm
previous associations and refine or further define the genetic relevance to ocular disease are of
special interest. Manuscripts that do not confirm a previously published association will only be
considered when the power of the study is sufficient to conclusively identify a positive
association, had it existed.
Screening new populations for genetic variants known to be associated with disease
Manuscripts describing results of population screening for genetic variants known to be
associated with disease are of interest if screening the population provides new insight into
disease mechanisms, disease prevalence, or other aspects of the epidemiology of the condition.
Editors and reviewers will consider the number of subjects screened, the population demographics,
and previously published studies.
Molecular or clinical studies that demonstrate disease mechanisms related to genetic
variants associated with ophthalmic disease
Manuscripts describing cellular, biochemical, or molecular mechanisms of diseases that have
genetic etiologies are of interest.
New mutation reports
Mutations in previously identified genes that are not associated with novel clinical phenotypes,
do not establish new and significant genotype-phenotype correlations, or do not provide new
insight into disease mechanisms will be returned to the authors without review.
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ARVO Commercial Relationships Policy
It is the responsibility of the corresponding author to assure that each co-author is aware of the ARVO Commercial Relationships Policy. For each author, please list all organizations that they have a commercial relationship with, relevant to the current manuscript, and the codes that apply. If there are no commercial relationships, list "None."
Example
A.B Anderson, Alcon (C), Allergan (C, F), Optovue (F); J.R. Jones, None; C. Smith, Carl Zeiss Meditec (F), Heidelberg Engineering (F, R); A. Rodriguez, None
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Clinical Trials Registration
TVST will not consider articles dealing with clinical trials that were not registered
before the first subject was enrolled. Please include the following information in a cover
letter: (1) beginning date of the trial, (2) date of registration, (3) trial registration number,
and (4) registration site.
Registration must be done on a publicly available database. ICMJE-recognized registries
are:
http://www.anzctr.org.au/ (Australia)
http://www.chictr.org/ (China)
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov (US)
https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu (EU)
http://ctri.nic.in (India)
http://www.germanctr.de (Germany)
http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br (Brazil)
http://www.irct.ir (Iran)
http://isrctn.org (UK)
http://ncrc.cdc.go.kr (Republic of Korea)
http://registroclinico.sld.cu (Cuba)
http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index/htm (Japan)
http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/index.
asp (Netherlands)
For the purposes of this policy, a "clinical trial" consists of any study involving a new
therapy of any kind, whether medical, surgical, psychological or sociological, in which subjects
are concurrently divided into one or more treatment or control groups. Several treatments may be
compared simultaneously, or one or more treatment groups may be compared to a simultaneous,
untreated control group. Although the division into such groups in most such trials is presently
by random assignment, randomization is not a part of the requirement for registration but only
the evaluation, in the trial, of concurrent control groups. The size of a clinical trial is not a
relevant consideration as to whether it must be registered. This policy applies not only to
large, multi-institutional clinical trials sponsored by pharmaceutical companies or other
organizations, but also to individual investigators at a single institution who are conducting
their own trials. The only consideration is whether the trial is comparing an experimental
therapy, or therapies with a simultaneous control group, or groups.
Click here
for more complete guidelines and here for
FAQ.
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Consent for Use of Identifying Material
Authors must obtain consent from subjects to use any identifiable material, e.g., a photograph
of a subject’s face, and forward that consent to the Editorial Office at submission. When the
subject is a minor child, consent must be obtained from the parent or guardian. Authors should
upload the consent form as a Cover Letter file or email it to tvstjournal@arvo.org. Contact the Editorial Office if a blank consent form is
needed.
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Ethics
Please see the ARVO Publications Ethics Statement for more information on ethics guidelines. TVST is a member of, and subscribes to the principles of, the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
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ARVO Artificial Intelligence Policy
This policy covers the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies such as Large Language Models (e.g., ChatGPT, GPT-4, Dolly) and text-to-image generators (e.g., DALL-E 2, DeepAI) for manuscripts submitted to ARVO journals (IOVS, JOV, or TVST).
Use of AI by Authors
A generative AI technology cannot be listed as a co-author or author of any submitted manuscript.
If the author of a submitted manuscript has used any content (text or imagery) produced and/or edited with a generative AI technology, this must be disclosed (i.e., acknowledged in the acknowledgments section and/or the methods section as appropriate). The disclosure should include the name, version, model, and source of the generative AI technology as well as the date the content was created and/or edited. Additionally, the author is responsible for checking the accuracy of any content created by the generative AI technology (including references and any code). Authors are also responsible to check that any content produced and/or edited with a generative AI technology is free from plagiarism. Submission of work containing plagiarized content resulting from use of a generative AI technology is considered ethical misconduct and would subject the authors to the consequences outlined in the ARVO Publications Ethics Statement.
Use of AI by Reviewers and Editors
Consistent with NIH policy NOT-OD-23-149, reviewers and editors are prohibited from using AI tools when conducting peer review of unpublished work.
Publication Costs
There are no costs for submission. The publication fee, charged only for accepted manuscripts, is $1,950. If the corresponding author is an ARVO member at the time of acceptance, a $350 discount will be applied. Amounts are in US dollars and were set by the ARVO Board of Trustees. ARVO sends out requests for payment of the fee (APC) after the manuscript is sent to the production team. In the very unlikely event that an accepted article does not end up getting published after payment was made, a full refund will be provided. The fee is currently a reduced $300 for Data Science descriptor articles and not charged for Letters to the Editor or Author Responses to Letters.(Articles submitted for review before Jan. 1, 2024 will be invoiced at the previous rate of $1,850 with a $350 discount for ARVO membership.)
Authors without funding may apply for financial assistance through the ARVO Publication Financial Assistance Program (PFAP), which covers the full cost of an article. For more information, please see the ARVO website. Authors must wait for notification of the outcome of their PFAP application before submitting an article to TVST. Articles already accepted for publication and in production are not eligible.
Manuscript Preparation
Structure: the main manuscript document should be organized as follows:
a. Title Page
b. Structured Abstract: 250-word limit
c. Text
d. Acknowledgments
e. References
f. Figure legends, tables, and figures, if not embedded in text
Lines and pages should be numbered.
- Title Page
The title page, which must be part of the main manuscript file, should include the title, authors' full names and institutions, word count, funding information, and commercial relationships disclosures. The title must contain no more than 150 characters, including punctuation and spaces. For guidelines regarding authorship, please see the ARVO Publications Ethics Statement.
- Structured abstract
A structured abstract of fewer than 250 words is required for articles and should be arranged
under the following headings: Purpose, Methods, Results, Conclusions, Translational Relevance (a one-sentence description of how your work bridges the gap between basic research and clinical care).
Define abbreviations at first mention, and do not include references. The abstract must be
included as part of the main manuscript file.
Abstracts are also required for review articles; however, these do not need to be in a
structured format.
In addition, authors whose native language is not English may submit a Foreign Language
Abstract along with the manuscript file. If the manuscript is accepted, the Foreign Language
Abstract will be published with the final published article.
- Text
The text should be double-spaced.
In a brief Introduction (don't use any subheadings), provide the research rationale and
objectives without extensively reviewing the literature.
In the Methods section, describe the experimental design, subjects used, and procedures
followed. Previously published procedures should be identified by reference only. Provide
sufficient detail to enable others to duplicate the research. Use standard chemical or
nonproprietary pharmaceutical nomenclature. In parentheses, identify specific sources by brand
name, company, city, and state or country.
If human subjects were involved in the investigation, the Methods section must confirm that: (1) informed consent was obtained from the subjects after explanation of the nature and possible consequences of the study; and (2) where applicable, the research was conducted in compliance with a suitable accredited Institutional Review Board (IRB) or its equivalent (such as a human ethics committee).
If experimental animals were used in the investigation, the Methods section must confirm
adherence to the ARVO Statement for the Use of Animals in Ophthalmic and Vision Research
and, where applicable, approval by the appropriate IRB.
Present the Results with a minimum of discussion. Cite all tables and figures in
numerical order.
Limit the Discussion to statistically significant data and their limitations. Do not
reiterate results.
Please review your manuscript carefully prior to submission. Authors needing or seeking
assistance with English grammar and usage should utilize the assistance provided by their
institution, or use the services of a commercial organization who specialize in manuscript
preparation and editing.
Acknowledgments
Acknowledgments should be written in the third person and be limited to colleagues and
research assistants. Acknowledgments are not meant to recognize appreciation for personal or
manuscript production support. Including dedications to individuals or groups is not permitted by
TVST journal policy.
- References
List references numerically by order of citation in the text, not alphabetically. All references
must be cited in the text or tables, shown as superscript numbers. Authors are responsible for
the accuracy of references.
- Unpublished data (including material in preparation or submitted) or personal communications
should be listed parenthetically in the text only with year received or recorded.
- References to journal articles should include (1) author(s) (if there are more than six,
write "et al." after the third name), (2) title, (3) journal name (as abbreviated in Index
Medicus), (4) year, (5) volume number, (6) issue number, and (7) inclusive page numbers.
- References to books should include (1) author(s), (2) chapter title (if any), (3) editors (if
any), (4) title of book, (5) city of publication, (6) publisher, (7) year, and (8) inclusive page
numbers.
- ARVO abstract citations are to appear parenthetically within the text, not as bibliographic
references. For ARVO abstracts from 1977 to 2001, citations should include (1) name of first
author, (2) "IOVS", (3) year, (4) volume number, (5) "ARVO Abstract", and (6) program number. For
ARVO abstracts from 2002 forward, citations should include (1) name of first author, (2) "IOVS",
(3) year, (4) volume number, (5) "ARVO E-Abstract", and (6) program number.
- Reviewers are not required to look up online website references.
Examples:
Journals
Choudhury A, Palkanis VA, Bowers WE. Characterisation and functional activity of dendritic
cells from rat choroid. Exp Eye Res. 1994;59(3):297-304.
Books
Stryer L. Biochemistry. 2nd ed. San Francisco, CA: WH Freeman; 1981:559-596.
Abstracts
1977-2001: (Otaishat NM, et al. IOVS 1997;38:ARVO Abstract 1417)
2002- : (Roska BM, et al. IOVS 2002;43:ARVO E-Abstract 1415)
- Tables, legends, figures, supplementary material
- Tables must be included in the main manuscript file. Each table should have a brief,
self-contained title, understandable without reference to the text. Assign a short heading to
each table column. Footnotes in tables should use symbols in the following sequence: *, †, ‡, §,
||, and #. Data that can be given in the text in two or three sentences should not be presented
in table format.
- Legends should sum up the intent and content of the data contained in the figure. Use
complete sentences or noun phrases with necessary modifiers, and conclude with a period.
- Figures should be cited in the text, in numerical order using Arabic numerals. Figures
may be placed within the main manuscript file or uploaded separately. If a figure contains
multiple parts, it should be assembled on one page; Figures 1A and 1B should not appear on
separate pages. Please label each figure appropriately just beneath the inserted image. For
example, labels should read "Fig. 1" or "Figure 1."
In the event that your manuscript is accepted, the Editorial Office will require you to upload
your figures as TIFF or EPS files for production. Therefore, while any type of file may be
embedded within the manuscript file, it is recommended that graphics be prepared using a program
which can save files in a format that can ultimately be saved and submitted as EPS or TIFF.
Color graphics should be saved in RGB (Red, Green, Blue) rather than CMYK (Cyan, Magenta,
Yellow, Black). For accepted manuscripts, the minimum resolution requirement for figure files is
300 dpi.
- Supplementary material can be included at the end of the main manuscript file or
uploaded separately. Supplementary material must be cited in the manuscript text, e.g., "See
Supplementary Table S1 for a list of mutations." Acceptable file types include JPG, PDF, Excel, Word. Acceptable file types for movies are mpg, mpeg, mov, avi and wmv. Movie files should be small enough that most people will be able to view them easily. If you have any questions, please contact the Editorial Office.
- File Formats
Manuscript files will be converted into an unalterable PDF format that will be sent to the
reviewers. The main manuscript document must be submitted in one of the following formats:
- Microsoft Word (.doc)
- PDF (.pdf): Should you choose to initially upload a PDF document for peer review, please note
that you will need to upload a word processing document, with either a .doc or .rtf extension,
upon acceptance.
- LaTeX: For peer review, please upload a PDF; if your manuscript is accepted after review, the LaTeX files may then be submitted for production.
Do not use other word processing systems as they are not supported by eJournal Press, nor are
they all readily available to those involved in the review process.
- Style
Follow guidelines of style, terminology, measurement, and quantitation as set forth in the
American Medical Association Manual of Style (9th ed., Baltimore, MD: Williams &
Wilkins; 1998).
- Use initial caps and descriptive clauses for titles and subheadings, avoiding complete
sentences or questions.
- Keep abbreviations and acronyms to a minimum and define them at first mention.
- Use Système International (SI) measurements (http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/units.html)
throughout the paper.
- Please use basic fonts such as Arial or Times New Roman. Arial is recommended as the font
that causes the fewest problems during conversion to PDF.
- Place equations in their appropriate locations within the text of the manuscript. This will
ensure their accurate appearance in the PDF proof.
Web Uploading Instructions
Submit your manuscript to TVST online at https://tvst.msubmit.net. Do not submit a manuscript more than
once; this constitutes a double submission and is a violation of the TVST copyright
statement. Follow the directions for each screen.
MANUSCRIPT REVIEW AND PUBLICATION
MANUSCRIPT REVIEW – The Process
After an initial review of the paper, the Editor-in-Chief assigns it to an Associate Editor
(AE). The AE then selects an Editorial Board Member (EBM) who is an expert in the field and who
will be responsible for guiding the paper through the review process. The EBM selects several
outside reviewers to ensure that two reviewers can be obtained. Once the completed reviews are
returned, the EBM critiques them, synthesizing them in a coherent manner for transmission to the
corresponding author. At the same time, the EBM recommends a decision to the AE. The AE reviews
all material and renders a decision, which is then e-mailed to the author. In the case of
rejections, the AE forwards their recommendation to the Editor-in-Chief, who makes the final
decision. Submissions by nonmembers of ARVO will be given equal consideration.
ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPTS
If your manuscript has been accepted, please contact tvstjournal@arvo.org. Instructions will also be provided in the acceptance letter.
APPEALS AND COMPLAINTS
All appeals and complaints should be sent to the editorial office by email, tvstjournal@arvo.org, and will be considered by the Editor-in-Chief (EIC) unless the EIC has a conflict of interest, in which case an Associate Editor (AE) will handle the issue. The Editor-in-Chief (who is elected for a 5-year term by the ARVO society members) has the final say when considering all complaints and appeals of decisions. Many manuscripts are rejected by the EIC, in consultation with an AE, without external peer-review based on a judgment that they do not fit the scope or quality standards of the journal. These assessments are unlikely to change on appeal. Similarly, a decision obtained after a well conducted peer-review process is not often overturned by the EIC. A well-founded appeal should clearly describe why specific grounds for a decision are demonstrably wrong. All appeal decisions are made by the EIC and are final.
POST-PUBLICATION CORRECTIONS AND COMMENTARY
All issues relating to published articles should be reported by email, tvstjournal@arvo.org. When a corresponding author reports an error in their published article it can usually be corrected by publishing an Erratum and making changes to the article. When the change is straightforward (e.g. misspelling of an author name, correction of grant information, etc.) it may be done by journal staff. When a change requested by an author is more significant (especially when related to the science) it will be brought to the attention of the Editor-in-Chief (EIC) who will oversee the correction process. Significant issues in a published article that require correction may also be reported by a reader (who is not an author of the article) to the editorial office. These will always be considered first by the EIC, and the authors of the article will be contacted before a final decision about a correction is made by the EIC. (The identity of the person reporting the issue will not be shared with the authors of the article) In rare cases, when the validity of the article is sufficiently compromised, a Retraction will be considered. Letters to the Editor (as described above) will also be considered as a way of expressing alternative points of view that are of significant scientific interest to the community served by the journal. Clear significant errors in articles, no matter how they are reported, are usually better corrected by publishing Errata and making changes to the articles.
PERMISSIONS
To republish ARVO journal material in a non-ARVO journal
For articles published 2012-2015
If you would like to reuse a figure or table from an article that you previously published in
TVST, you do not need written permission. When reprinting the TVST material,
however, please include a full article citation and acknowledge the Association for Research in
Vision and Ophthalmology as the copyright holder.
If you would like to use material from an TVST article for which you were NOT an
author, please obtain permission through the Copyright
Clearance Center (CCC). There is a fee of $35 per figure or table plus a small CCC service
fee. When reprinting the TVST material, please include a full article citation and
acknowledge the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology as the copyright holder. If
you have questions or an unusual request, e.g., reuse of material online, please contact the
Editorial Office at tvstjournal@arvo.org.
All companies, commercial and nonprofit, should contact ARVO directly for permission to
reprint articles or parts thereof. Please e-mail your request to tvstjournal@arvo.org.
For articles published 2016 and later
If you would like to reuse a figure or table from an article that you previously published in
TVST, you do not need written permission. When reprinting the TVST material,
however, please include a full article citation.
If you would like to use material from an TVST article for which you were NOT an
author, you may do so in the manner specified by the Creative Commons license applied to the article (either the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs or the Creative Commons Attribution license). In the PDF of the article, the license type is listed at the bottom of the first page. Please note that if any material (e.g., a figure) was published previously, you will need to contact the copyright holder of that material to obtain permission to reuse it.
To republish ARVO journal material in an ARVO journal
If you would like to reuse original material from a published IOVS, JOV, or TVST article in a new paper you are writing for TVST (or IOVS or JOV), you don't need to obtain permission. ARVO will grant permission to reuse ARVO material in an ARVO publication. Please cite the original published article as the source. However, if the figure or table appearing in the ARVO journal article was originally published elsewhere, you will need to obtain permission from that original source.
Calls for Papers
Translational Vision Science and Technology (TVST) is an open-access, online and
peer-reviewed journal that was launched in May 2012. Articles emphasize multidisciplinary
research that bridges the gap between basic research and clinical care.
All published content is available in PubMed Central.
TVST covers a broad spectrum of work, including (but not limited to):
- Applications of stem cell technology for regenerative medicine
- Development of new animal models of human diseases
- Tissue bioengineering
- Chemical engineering to improve virus-based gene delivery
- Nanotechnology for drug delivery
- Design and synthesis of artificial extracellular matrices
- Developments in ophthalmic surgery
- Refining data analysis algorithms to improve in vivo imaging technology
- Results of Phase 1 clinical trials
- Reverse translational ("bedside to bench") research
TVST welcomes manuscripts from scientists and clinicians of diverse backgrounds, with the
goal of bringing together research that extends beyond ophthalmology.
Biomechanics of the Eye Special Issue
Do you have research on ocular biomechanics that is ready to publish? Submit your work for the upcoming TVST special issue, edited by:
Jorge Alió, MD, PhD, TVST Associate Editor, University Miguel Hernandez de Elche, Spain
Francisco Cavas, PhD, TVST Associate Editor, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Spain
Renato Ambrósio Jr., MD, PhD, Guest Editor, Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil
We welcome submissions across a broad range of related topics across all parts of the eye and orbit in normal health and disease, including but not restricted to:
- Investigations of current and new laboratory techniques for biomechanical assessments
- Clinical biomechanical measurements
- Effects of therapeutics and other treatments on ocular biomechanics
- Finite element numerical simulations
- Application of artificial intelligence to ocular biomechanics
The deadline for submission is December 31, 2024 (extended). All submissions will be peer reviewed, and publication fees will apply to papers that are accepted. Accepted papers will be published as ready in the current monthly issue as well as presented together in a special issue on the TVST website.
Special Issue on Advances in the Cellular and Molecular Pathology of Inherited Retinal Degenerations; Towards Improving Patient Care
We are pleased to announce a special issue of TVST dedicated to the comprehensive exploration of cellular and molecular pathology of inherited retinal degenerations (IRD) edited by TVST Associate Editors Radha Ayyagari, PhD, from Shiley Eye Institute, University of California San Diego, and Jose-Alain Sahel, MD, from University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA; and Guest Editors Andrew Webster, MD, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, and Andrew Goldberg, PhD, from Oakland University, Rochester, MI.
This special issue aims to bring together innovative perspectives and advancements in the understanding of inherited retinal degeneration (IRD) biology, disease mechanism, phenotype-genotype correlations, model systems and potential therapeutic strategies. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms of IRDs is crucial for developing therapies.
Scope of the Special Issue: We invite original research articles focusing on, but not limited to, the following topics:
- Clinical manifestations, disease progression, and natural history studies
- Molecular mechanisms underlying pathology
- Genetics, genotype-phenotype correlations and disease variability
- Animal models and in vitro studies elucidating disease mechanisms
- Diagnostic approaches, biomarkers, and genetic testing advancements
- Novel technologies and innovative approaches in studying IRDs
- Therapeutic strategies, including gene therapies and pharmacological interventions
- Potential outcome measures for clinical trials
Submission Guidelines:
The deadline for submission is December 31, 2024. Manuscripts should be prepared following the TVST guidelines for authors available on the journal's website. Submissions will undergo peer review, and publication fees will apply to papers that are accepted.
Accepted papers will be published as ready in the current monthly issue as well as presented together in a special issue on the TVST website.