Journal of Optometry Impact Factor: it's been a long way to here

From its inception in 2008, Journal of Optometry (JOptom) had the aspiration to be indexed in the most respected scientific databases. Even acknowledging the limitations of “weighting” the value of journals, authors or publications by means of citation indexes, there is no doubt that objective quantitative metrics, in conjunction with individual quality evaluation are relevant to assess, benchmark and follow the evolution of scientific productivity dynamics in the mid-to-long term.^{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

It was back in 2007 when 3 colleagues independently discussed the opportunity to expand the publication potential of a fast-growing field of Optometry and Vision Science in Europe and around the World. They eventually came together to discuss the idea and with the courage and support of the Spanish General Council of Optometry, and a remarkable list of Editorial Board Members, the first issue of JOptom was published in June 2008. The international impact of the Journal was immediately recognized, with most of the publications over the past years coming from all continents, and being read by many others in nearly any country around the globe.^6,7

Over the years, JOptom has established as a leading journal in the field of Optometry and related health care professions. For a review of the different milestones of the Journal over the years we summarize the most relevant ones in Table 1 of a previous editorial.⁸ A graphical overview of the indexing outcomes is given in Figure 1. The achievements of JOptom were quantitatively world-wide recognized by several respected databases,⁶ including the Emerging Science Citation Index (ESCI) in 2020, but the aspiration of getting a Journal Impact Factor (JIF) seemed to be distant despite the top ranked position of the JOptom in ESCI.

Figure 1.

Some of the major indexing milestones achieved by Journal of Optometry.

The lack of Web of Science (WoS) JIF, might have limited the possibility of many researchers in academy to publish their research in this Journal, but did not avoid thousands of authors submitting and getting published high quality papers with us. In a landscape where many other journals appear and disappear over the years, we take this opportunity to thank them all for their trust and permanent support. Due to the high rejection rate of the journal, many other authors could not see their research highlighted in one of the sixty issues published so far. Even for those we do hope that our editors and reviewers had made valuable contributions through the peer-review process.

By July 26^th, 2022, Clarivate's Editor-in-Chief & Vice President Editorial, Web of Science announced that Journals indexed in ESCI will have an impact factor.⁷ This means that by June 2023, JOptom will have an impact factor assigned. It took a while, but JOptom will be soon in the position to allow scientists arround the world to see their work published in an Open Access Journal.

After the previous major indexing leaps back in 2014, 2020 and 2021,^{8, 9, 10} getting a JIF is not the end, but the beginning of new challenges to keep JOptom ranking high in a very competitive environment of the current Open Access scientific publication.

JOptom is in perfect shape to encompass the accelerated transition in technologies in vision science field and will be an excellent platform to project the research results of an interdisciplinary audience of authors and readers. Now with the additional appeal of a full recognition by all from those who find value in their research published in journals indexed in Scopus, Pubmed or Clarivate WoS. The special issue on “Artificial Intelligence, Data Science and E-health in Vision Research and Clinical Activity”¹¹ is an excellent example we invite all to read and get a glimpse into the future of visual science,¹² from professional and academic perspectives for Artificial Intelligence in eyecare,^{13, 14, 15} to big data analysis,¹⁶ or the effective use of artificial intelligence and machine learning tools for deriving ocular refraction¹⁷ or detecting ocular disease.^{18, 19, 20, 21, 22}