Manuscript Criteria and Information

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Manuscript Submission

Manuscripts must be submitted via our online manuscript submission and review system (http://manuscripts.archophthalmol.com). Mailing address and telephone and fax numbers of the corresponding author should be included on the title page of the manuscript. A total word count should be provided with each manuscript (including the abstract, all text, tables, figure legends, and references). See details in these instructions for additional requirements. Signed copyright transfer forms are required at the revision stage. Please do not fax the copyright transfer form at the time of submission.

Editorial Office Contact Information. Daniel M. Albert, MD, MS, Editor, Archives of Ophthalmology, 2870 University Ave, Ste 102, Madison, WI 53705; (608) 262-7769; fax: (866) 542-4857; (archophthalmol{at}jama-archives.org).

Manuscript Categories

Clinical Science. Clinical Science manuscripts should not exceed 3000 words. References, figures, and tables are not limited but may be deleted at the discretion of the editor. Refer to the general Instructions for Authors for other requirements.

Clinical Trials. Manuscripts considered for the Clinical Trials section usually report on large, randomized controlled trials that have sufficient statistical power to properly test the intervention in question. The CONSORT Checklist included in these instructions is required at the time of submission. Recommended length: 3500 words. Please see the editorial on this topic (Beck RW. Reporting the results of randomized clinical trials: a priority of Archives of Ophthalmology. Arch Ophthalmol. 2004;122[7]:1038-1039).

Commentaries. Commentaries on articles from other journals are generally solicited. A copy of the abstract of the article referred to in the Commentary is required. Commentaries should not exceed 500 words and should have no more than 10 references.

Editorials. Editorials provide a forum for reflective, analytical, or interpretive opinions related to clinical, scientific, or socioeconomic matters. The editorialist must be objective, dispassionate, and informative and should provide alternative points of view. Editorials should not exceed 1350 words, with no more than 20 references.

Epidemiology. Manuscripts should not exceed 3000 words. References, figures, and tables are not limited but may be deleted at the discretion of the editor.

History. Suggestions for topics or authors can be submitted to James Ravin, MD, 3000 Regency Ct, Ste 100, Toledo, OH 43623 (jamesravin{at}aol.com).

Laboratory Science. Manuscripts submitted for this section should describe cutting-edge science applied to a clinically relevant topic. They must describe original findings that are likely to lead to a major advance in their field. The Archives can publish far fewer basic science manuscripts than are submitted, and thus only highly significant papers can be accepted. Manuscripts should not exceed 3000 words. Please suggest 4 to 6 potential reviewers and provide their valid e-mail addresses when submitting your manuscript for consideration for the Laboratory Science section.

Letters. Letters to the Editor should not exceed 250 words, 5 references, and 2 figures or tables.

Mechanisms of Ophthalmic Disease. Articles in this section are written by scientists who study aspects of the visual system relevant to clinical ophthalmology. The target reader is the ophthalmologist desiring a current understanding of the pathophysiology of a visual disorder. Articles for this section are usually solicited. Queries may be addressed to the section editor, Leonard A. Levin, MD, PhD, 2870 University Ave, Ste 102, Madison, WI 53705 or e-mailed to archophthalmol{at}jama-archives.org.

New Instruments. New Instrument manuscripts should not exceed 2000 words. References, figures, and tables are not limited but may be deleted at the discretion of the editor. New instruments may be surgical or diagnostic and provide an innovative solution to a clinically relevant problem or research endeavor. Usefulness of the instrument should be intuitively obvious or clearly demonstrated using figures or other visual media. Lower priority for publication will be assigned to descriptions of instruments that provide minimally incremental improvement on existing technology or are already heavily promoted commercially. However, commercial interest per se is not an exclusion for consideration if disclosed.

Ophthalmic Images. Submissions should consist of 1 or 2 images of unusual or striking examples of clinical entities, laboratory/radiological studies, or therapeutic procedures. Legends should be 40 words or less. All submissions are reviewed by our editors and, if accepted, published when space allows in the journal. Published submissions will not be indexed in the table of contents, but the authors’ names will be published with the images.

Ophthalmic Molecular Genetics. These manuscripts should not exceed 3000 words. References, figures, and tables are not limited but may be deleted at the discretion of the editor. Questions may be addressed to the section editor, Janey L. Wiggs, MD, PhD, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Ophthalmology, 243 Charles St, Boston, MA 02411 (janey_wiggs{at}meei.harvard.edu).

Research Letters. Research Letters reporting original laboratory or clinical observations should not exceed 600 words of text and 6 references and may include 1 table or 2 figures. Letters must not duplicate other material published or submitted for publication. In general, Research Letters should be divided into the following sections: To the Editor (which serves as an introduction), Methods, Results, and Comment. Reports of clinical cases may use “Case Description” instead of “Methods” and “Results.” Research Letters should not include an abstract, but otherwise should follow all of the guidelines in Manuscript Preparation and Submission Requirements. Research Letters considered for publication undergo external peer review. Items formerly submitted as Case Reports or Clinicopathologic Reports should now be submitted for consideration as Research Letters.

Small Case Series. Small Case Series of 2 to 5 cases should not exceed 1000 words, 5 references, and 4 figures or tables. Refer to the general Instructions for Authors for other requirements. Please see the editorial on this topic (Levin LA, Bressler N. The case report: small is beautiful. Arch Ophthalmol. 1996;114[11]:1413).

Socioeconomics and Health Services. These manuscripts should not exceed 3000 words. References, figures, and tables are not limited but may be deleted at the discretion of the editor.

Surgical Techniques. These manuscripts should not exceed 2000 words. References, figures, and tables are not limited but may be deleted at the discretion of the editor. Usefulness of the described surgical technique should be intuitively obvious or clearly demonstrated using figures or other visual media. High priority will be given if outcome data on surgical, anatomic, or visual end points are described.

Note: Manuscripts in any category with particular relevance to ophthalmic surgery will be considered for inclusion in the Surgeon’s Corner section.

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Editorial Policies for Authors

Authorship Requirements. Beginning September 1, 2005, authors will be required to identify each author’s contributions to the work described in the manuscript. The following 3 statements must be signed by all listed authors and submitted in a cover letter (or by using the Authorship Form) prior to our sending a manuscript out for review: (1) statement on authorship responsibility, (2) statement on financial disclosure, and (3) 1 of the 2 statements on copyright or federal employment.

Authorship Responsibility. “I certify that I have participated sufficiently in the conception and design of this work and the analysis of the data (when applicable), as well as the writing of the manuscript, to take public responsibility for it. I believe the manuscript represents valid work. I have reviewed the final version of the submitted manuscript and approve it for publication. Neither this manuscript nor one with substantially similar content under my authorship has been published or is being considered for publication elsewhere, except as described in an attachment. If requested, I shall produce the data on which the manuscript is based for examination by the editors or their assignees.”

Financial Disclosure. “I certify that any affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with a direct financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript (eg, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, speakers bureau, expert testimony) are disclosed below.”

Research or project support should be listed in an acknowledgment.

Copyright Transfer. “In consideration of the action of the American Medical Association (AMA) in reviewing and editing this submission (manuscript, tables, figures, videos, audio, and other supplemental files for publication), the author(s) undersigned hereby transfers or otherwise conveys all copyright ownership to the AMA in the event that such work is published by the AMA.”

Federal Employment. “I was an employee of the US federal government when this work was conducted and prepared for publication; therefore, it is not protected by the Copyright Act and there is no copyright, thus ownership cannot be transferred.”

Acknowledgments. To ensure accuracy, if individuals are listed in an acknowledgment at the end of the manuscript, the corresponding author must submit the following signed statement: “I have obtained written permission from all persons named in the acknowledgment.” Note: Research or project support should be listed in an acknowledgment in the manuscript.

Group Authorship. If authorship is attributed to a group (either solely or in addition to 1 or more individual authors), all members of the group must meet the full criteria and requirements for authorship described in the following paragraphs. A group must designate at least 1 or more individuals as authors or members of a writing group who meet full authorship criteria and requirements and who will take responsibility for the group, in which case the other group members are not authors, but may be listed in an acknowledgment (Flanagin A, Fontanarosa PB, DeAngelis CD. Authorship for research groups. JAMA. 2002;288[24]:3166-3168). To save space, if group members have been listed in the Archives, the article will be referenced rather than reprinting the list.

Conflict of Interest. A conflict of interest may exist when an author (or the author’s institution or employer) has financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence (or bias) the author’s decisions, work, or manuscript. All authors are required to report potential conflicts of interest, including specific financial interests relevant to the subject of their manuscript, in their cover letter and on the Archives of Ophthalmology’s financial disclosure form or in an attachment to the form. Authors without relevant financial interests in the manuscript should indicate no such interest.

Authors are required to report detailed information regarding all financial and material support for the research and work, including but not limited to grant support, funding sources, and provision of equipment and supplies. Each author also is required to sign and submit the following financial disclosure statement: "I certify that all my affiliations with or financial involvement, within the past 5 years and foreseeable future (eg, employment; consultancies; honoraria; speakers bureau; stock ownership or options; expert testimony; grants; patents filed, received, pending, or in preparation; royalties; or donation of medical equipment) with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript are completely disclosed."

Authors are expected to provide detailed information about any relevant financial interests or financial conflicts within the past 5 years and for the foreseeable future, particularly those present at the time the research was conducted and up to the time of publication, as well as other financial interests, such as relevant filed or pending patents or patent applications in preparation, that represent potential future financial gain. Although many universities and other institutions and organizations have established policies and thresholds for reporting financial interests and other conflicts of interest, the Archives of Ophthalmology requires complete disclosure of all relevant financial relationships and potential financial conflicts of interest, regardless of amount or value. If authors are uncertain about what might constitute a potential financial conflict of interest, they should err on the side of full disclosure and should contact the editorial office if they have questions or concerns. In addition, authors who have no relevant financial interests are asked to provide a statement indicating that they have no financial interests related to the material in the manuscript.

This information is for the editorial office and is not shared with peer reviewers. However, for all accepted manuscripts, each author’s disclosures of relevant financial interests and declarations of no relevant financial interests will be published. Decisions about whether financial information provided by authors should be published, and thereby disclosed to readers, are usually straightforward. Although editors are willing to discuss disclosure of specific financial information with authors, the Archives of Ophthalmology’s policy is one of complete disclosure of all relevant financial interests.

The policy requesting disclosure of conflicts of interest applies for all manuscript submissions, including letters to the editor and book reviews.

If an author’s disclosure is incomplete, a correction will be published to rectify the incomplete disclosure by the author.

Financial/Proprietary Interest. If the article discusses in any way a device, equipment, an instrument, or a drug, the authors must state in a footnote whether they do or do not have any commercial or proprietary interest in the product or company. Likewise, they must reveal whether they have any financial interest or receive payment as a consultant, reviewer, or evaluator.

Funding/Support and Role of Sponsor. All financial and material support for the research and the work should be clearly and completely identified in an acknowledgment. The role of the funding organization or sponsor in each of the following should be specified: design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; and preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript.

Data Access and Responsibility. For reports containing original data, at least 1 author (eg, the principal investigator) should indicate that he or she “had full access to all the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis” (DeAngelis CD, Fontanarosa PB, Flanagin A. Reporting financial conflicts of interest and relationships between investigators and research sponsors. JAMA. 2001;286[1]:89-91).

Statistical Consultation. We recommend that statistical consultation be obtained as early as possible for studies with statistical content. The name and affiliation of the statistical consultant (if different from the author) should be included.

Prior Publication. Manuscripts are received with the understanding that they have not been published previously in print or electronic format and are not under consideration by another publication or electronic medium. A complete manuscript submitted following oral presentation that results in the publication of substantive information elsewhere, including magazines, or “tabloids,” may be deemed ineligible for publication in the Archives. The Archives is willing to receive and evaluate manuscripts submitted following presentation or publication of preliminary findings (eg, in an abstract) at a major meeting, but only if publication in other print media is not under consideration. Press reports of the meeting should not be amplified by additional data or copies of tables and illustrations. When submitting a paper, authors should include copies of possibly duplicative material that has been previously published or is currently being considered elsewhere. If after submission but before publication of a manuscript, publication of the findings occurs in press reports, interviews, or other formats, the Editors should be notified.

If there is a question of author misconduct (eg, duplicate publication), submission may be disclosed to a third party.

Authors submitting manuscripts or Letters to the Editor regarding adverse drug or medical device reactions, reportable diseases, and the like should also report such to the relevant government agency.

Ethical Considerations. For experimental investigations of human or animal subjects, state in the “Methods” section of the manuscript that an appropriate institutional review board approved the project. For those investigators who do not have formal ethics review committees (institutional or regional), the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki (41st World Medical Assembly. Declaration of Helsinki: recommendations guiding physicians in biomedical research involving human subjects. JAMA. 1997;277[11]:925-926) should be followed. For investigations of human subjects, state in the “Methods” section the manner in which informed consent was obtained from the subjects (parents or legal guardians for minors). Editors may request that authors provide documentation of the formal review and recommendation from the institutional review board or ethics committee responsible for oversight of the study.

Animal Experimentation. In the case of animal experimentation, please indicate in the “Methods” section what animal-care protocols were followed, eg, “Institutional guidelines regarding animal experimentation were followed.”

Authorized Use of Photographs. Recognizable photographs may be published only if specifically consented to by the patient. To facilitate proof, the consent must be in writing. Any restrictions or limitations on the consent must be strictly observed, eg, eyes are blocked out only as a condition of consent. Consent forms must include a specific statement that photographs and information related to a case may be published (in print or online) either separately or in connection with each other, in professional journals or medical books, provided that it is specifically understood that the patient shall not be identified by name. Parental consent for the above must include signatures of both living parents. Consent releases for minors without living parents must be signed by the legally appointed guardian. Submit consent forms with the manuscript. See “Informed Consent” above. (See Patient Consent Form.)

Manuscripts That Pose Security Risks. Authors and reviewers are expected to notify editors if a manuscript could be considered to report dual use research of concern (ie, research that could be misused by others to pose a threat to public health and safety, agriculture, plants, animals, the environment, or material). The editor in chief will evaluate manuscripts that report potential dual use research of concern and, if necessary, consult additional reviewers. (Journal Editors and Authors Group. Statement on scientific publication and security. Science. 2003;299(5610):1149. http://www.sciencemag.org/site/feature/data/security/statement.pdf. Accessed July 12, 2011.)

Embargo Policy. Information regarding the content and publication date of accepted articles cannot appear in print, radio, television, or in electronic form or be released to the media until 3 pm Central Time on the second Monday of the month.

Depositing Research Manuscripts With an Approved Public Repository. All Archives Journal articles reporting original research are made freely available 12 months after publication, from 1998 forward, subject to certain conditions. The Archives Journals’ Editors and Publishers believe that the public is best served by accessing the freely available research articles on the journal site, to ensure access to the final published version, any corrections, and related Web features. However, some funding organizations require that authors of manuscripts reporting research deposit those manuscripts with an approved public repository, such as PubMed Central. Authors have the Archives Journals’ permission on the following conditions:

1. Permission is granted only for manuscripts reporting research funded by not-for-profit organizations to be deposited in not-for-profit, publicly available repositories.

2. Permission is granted to post only the manuscript reporting research that was submitted and accepted for publication but not the final, edited, formatted, and published article.

3. Authors must ensure that the posted manuscript links back to the published article on the Archives Journals Web site to provide readers with access to the final reviewed and edited version plus any corrections and letters, as well as the article-related features only available on the Archives Journals Web site.

4. Authors who submit their manuscripts to an approved public repository, such as PubMed Central, must indicate that the manuscript may not be made available to the public sooner than 12 months after publication in the Archives Journals.

If authors adhere to these requirements, they may submit the final accepted version of the manuscript to the repository, if and only if the repository ensures that the deposited manuscript will not be made available to the public during the 12-month embargo following publication in the Archives Journals.

The published article is protected by copyright at the time of publication and thereafter (see http://pubs.ama-assn.org/misc/conditions.dtl). This research access policy does not include permission to use the Archives Journal logo and trademarks. The Archives Journal article of record is the final published version; the Archives Journals assume no responsibility for earlier versions because substantive changes and corrections may occur during the post acceptance editing process. Authors may contact the Archives Journals with any questions at jama-comments{at}jama-archives.org.

Accepted Manuscripts. Accepted manuscripts become the permanent property of the Archives and may not be published elsewhere without permission from the publisher (AMA).

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Editorial Review and Publication

Peer Review. Manuscripts are sent to expert consultants for peer review. Peer reviewer identities are kept confidential. Authors, by special request, may keep their identities confidential but must submit a second electronic file of the manuscript with all identifying information edited out. Reviews and decisions on manuscripts in which the editor or one of the associate editors is a coauthor are managed independently by an editor, in conjunction with a member of the editorial board.

Suggestions for Peer Reviewers. At the time of submission, list the names of at least 5 potential reviewers who are expert in the area and could give an unbiased review of the manuscript. Please do not list close associates, collaborators, or family members. The name, e-mail address, and institution of suggested reviewers are requested in the section of the electronic submission form marked “Suggested Reviewers to Include.”

Editing. Accepted manuscripts are edited according to AMA style and returned to the author for approval. Authors are responsible for all statements made in their work, including changes made by the manuscript editor and authorized by the corresponding author. If you wish to receive page proofs for approval, contact the manuscript editor assigned to your paper within 2 days of receiving the typescript.

Policy Regarding Republication of Figures or Tables. The AMA does not charge a permission fee to authors who wish to use figures or tables from their published articles in other books or journals. However, an author must obtain permission from AMA, as the copyright holder, for such use. To do so, send a written request to Rhonda Bailey Brown, Department of Licensing and Permissions, AMA, 515 N State St, Chicago, IL 60654; fax: (312) 464-5835 (permissions@ama-assn.org). In the permission you receive, the proper credit line will be indicated. Be sure to make it clear that you are the author of the manuscript from which the figure or table is derived.

Reprints and Permissions. Reprints may be ordered from Reprints Desk when the edited manuscript is sent for approval to the corresponding author. AMA does not charge a permission fee to authors who wish to use their articles or parts thereof in other books or journals. However, an author must obtain permission from AMA, as the copyright holder, for such use. To do so, send written request to Rhonda Bailey Brown, Department of Licensing and Permissions, AMA, 515 N State St, Chicago, IL 60654; fax: (312) 464-5835 (permissions{at}ama-assn.org). In the permission you receive, the proper credit line will be indicated.

e-Prints. Corresponding authors who provide an e-mail address for publication will receive an electronic link that provides 25 free online accesses to the PDF view of their article.

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Manuscript Preparation and Submission Requirements

The following is required upon acceptance of the manuscript:

• 1. Save the text in Word.
• 2. Tables should be included at the end of the article text file. Make certain that each item in the table is in its own table cell. Do not use paragraph returns (to start new rows) or tabs (to start new columns) to format the table.
• 3. Save any figures in a separate JPG or TIFF file. Please refer to the Technical Requirements for Figures.
• 4. Mail 2 sets of high-resolution glossy prints, clearly marked with the manuscript number, to the editorial office: Archives of Ophthalmology, 2870 University Ave, Ste 102, Madison, WI 53705.

Title Page. Give full names, highest academic degrees, and affiliations of all authors. Designate a corresponding author and include a complete mailing address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address. Specify the address to which requests for reprints should be sent. Manuscripts should have no more than 6 authors; a greater number requires justification.

Text. The Archives requirements are in accordance with the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals (http://www.icmje.org). Double-space manuscript (text, references, and tables) and leave right margins unjustified (ragged). The text should, in general, not exceed 12 double-spaced typewritten pages. Each manuscript component should begin on a new page, in the following sequence: title page, abstract, text, acknowledgments, references, figure legends, and tables (each table complete with title and footnotes on a separate page). Pages should be sequentially numbered in the upper right-hand corner, beginning with the title page. Do not use line numbering.

Titles. Titles should be short, specific, and clear and typed on a special page. They should not exceed 84 characters, including punctuation and spaces, if possible. The title page should include the first name, middle initial, and last name of all authors with their highest academic degree and the professional affiliation of all authors with city location. It should also include the address to which requests for reprints should be sent.

Abstracts. The structured abstract should be used for manuscripts in the following categories: Clinical Sciences, Epidemiology, Laboratory Sciences, Socioeconomics and Health Services, and Ophthalmic Molecular Genetics. The abstract should not exceed 250 words and should include the following headings: Objective(s), Methods or Design, Results, and Conclusions. The Methods or Design section should contain a description of setting, intervention, and main outcome measures, where applicable. Abstracts for Laboratory Science and Ophthalmic Molecular Genetics sections should also include a “Clinical Relevance” heading. Abstracts for Clinical Trial manuscripts should include a “Main Outcome Measures” and an “Application to Clinical Practice” heading. Free-form abstracts of 135 words or less will be used for Mechanisms of Ophthalmic Disease, New Instruments, Surgical Techniques, and Special Articles. No abstracts are required for Letters, Small Case Series, or Editorials.

The main point of the article should be included in the first paragraph of the discussion.

References. List references in numerical order (not alphabetically). Once a reference is cited, all subsequent citations should be to the original number. All references must be cited in the text or tables. Unpublished data and personal communications should not be listed as references but parenthetically within the text. References to journal articles should include (1) author(s) (if more than 6, 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, in that order. 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) page(s), if indicated. Authors are responsible for the accuracy of references.

Web References. Please keep a print copy of any reference to Web-only information. If the URL changes or disappears, readers should be able to obtain a copy of the information from the corresponding author.

Units of Measure. Laboratory values are expressed using conventional units of measure, with relevant Système International (SI) conversion factors expressed secondarily (in parentheses) only at first mention. Articles that contain numerous conversion factors may list them together in a paragraph at the end of the “Methods” section. In tables and figures, a conversion factor to SI units should be provided in a footnote or legend. The metric system is preferred for the expression of length, area, mass, and volume. A Conversion Table is available on the Web site for the AMA Manual of Style.

Gene Names, Symbols, and Accession Numbers. Authors describing genes or related structures in a manuscript should include the names and official symbols provided by the US National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) or the HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee. Before submission of a research manuscript reporting on large genomic data sets (eg, protein or DNA sequences), the data sets should be deposited in a publicly available database, such as NCBI’s GenBank, and a complete accession number (and version number, if appropriate) must be provided in the “Methods” section or the Acknowledgments section of the manuscript.

Nomenclature for Ophthalmic Malignancies. Authors should use the American Joint Commission on Cancer TNM classification scheme when describing patients with ophthalmic malignancies (American Joint Commission on Cancer. AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 7th ed. New York, NY: Springer; 2009).

Figures. Use only those illustrations that clarify and augment the text. More than 10 total illustrations per manuscript would have to be justified. Please refer to the instructions in Technical Requirements for Figures for guidelines at submission and acceptance. We need the figures submitted as high-resolution TIF or JPG files. Generally, each figure file should exceed 200 kB. Please submit your photographic images at 5 inches (13 cm) wide at 300 pixels per inch (120 pixels per centimeter), minimum. This applies to each part for multipart figures. Save them as TIF (with LZW compression), JPG (with “maximum quality” setting), or PSD (native Adobe Photoshop format). Please do not add arrowheads, “a,” “b,” asterisks, etc directly to the file that contains the figure. A separate composite figure in PowerPoint may be submitted to indicate the location of arrows, asterisks, etc. Because of space limitations, the editors ask that authors crop out all extraneous portions on clinical photographs, CT scans, and ultrasound images (for example, identifying features or patient names), or indicate crop marks on photo margins.

Illustrations in full color are accepted for publication at no charge to the author if the editors believe that color will add significantly to the published manuscript.

Digital Enhancement of Images. Digitally enhanced images (CT/MRI, blots, photographs, photomicrographs, ultrasound images, x-ray films, etc) must be clearly identified in the figure legends as digitally processed images. If the manuscript is accepted, 3 clearly labeled copies of the processed and original images must be provided.

Image Integrity. Preparation of scientific images (clinical images, radiographic images, micrographs, gels, etc) for publication must preserve the integrity of the image data. Digital adjustments of brightness, contrast, or color applied uniformly to an entire image are permissible as long as these adjustments do not selectively highlight, misrepresent, obscure, or eliminate specific elements in the original figure, including the background. Selective adjustments applied to individual elements in an image are not permissible. Individual elements may not be moved within an image field, deleted, or inserted from another image. Cropping may be used for efficient image display but must not misrepresent or alter interpretation of the image by selectively eliminating relevant visual information. Juxtaposition of elements from different parts of a single image or from different images, as in a composite, must be clearly indicated by the addition of dividing lines, borders, and/or panel labels.

When inappropriate image adjustments are detected by the JAMA and Archives Journals staff, authors will be asked for an explanation and will be requested to submit the image as originally captured prior to any adjustment, cropping, or labeling. Authors may be asked to resubmit the image prepared in accordance with the above standards. Deliberate alteration of images that results in misrepresentation of data may be reported to the author’s institution or funding agency.

Legends. Legends must be typed double-spaced, beginning on a separate sheet of paper. Length should be limited to a maximum of 40 words and should allow the illustration to be fully understandable without recourse to the text. Use arrows, letters, etc, for enhanced understanding.

Reprinted Material. Reprinted tables and figures are discouraged. Original material should be provided, except under extraordinary circumstances. Acknowledge all text, illustrations, videos, and tables adapted or reproduced from other publications and submit permission from the original publishers (or other copyright owner) to republish in print and online editions of the Archives and its licensed versions. (See Permission to Reproduce Copyright-Protected Material Form.)

Drug Cost. In studies involving a comparison of drugs or other treatment modalities, please include information regarding respective costs (Morse AR. Medication costs matter. Arch Ophthalmol. 2009;127[7]:929-931).

Drug Names. The generic (nonproprietary) name of a drug is preferred in almost all instances. If it is necessary to include the brand (proprietary or trade) name for reproduction or interpretation of the study, the brand name should be given parenthetically, following the generic name, at first mention in the abstract, text, and each figure or table in which it appears. In addition, the brand name and supplier’s name and location should be given in the “Methods” section. In the case in which a manuscript is comparing various brands of a single product, or in which an adverse event is described that might be unique to a single brand of product, both the brand name and generic name should appear at first mention and the brand name(s) should be used thereafter.

Off-Label Use of Drugs. If you are proposing an off-label use of a drug, please clearly label it as such in your article. Some drugs discussed for specific indications may not be approved for labeling and advertising for those indications by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Tables. Title all tables and number them in the order of their citation in the text. Double-space each table and start each table on a new page. If a table must be continued, repeat the title on a second sheet, followed by “(cont).” Any additional information about the tables should be included in your cover letter (see Instructions for Table Creation).

Online-Only Material. Authors may submit supporting material to accompany their article for online-only publication when there is insufficient space to include the material in the print article. This material should be important to the understanding and interpretation of the report and should not repeat material in the print article. The amount of online-only material should be limited and justified. Online-only material should be original and not previously published.

Online-only material will undergo editorial and peer review with the main manuscript. If the manuscript is accepted for publication and if the online-only material is deemed appropriate for publication by the editors, it will be posted online at the time of publication of the article as additional material provided by the authors. This material will not be edited or formatted; thus, the authors are responsible for the accuracy and presentation of all such material.

Online-only material should be submitted in a single Word document with pages numbered consecutively. Each element included in the online-only material should be cited in the text of the main manuscript (eg, see eTable) and numbered in order of citation in the text (eg, eTable 1, eTable 2, eFigure 1, eFigure 2, eMethods). The first page of the online-only document should list the number and title of each element included in the document.

Online-Only Text. Online-only text should be set in Times New Roman font, 10 point in size, and single-spaced. The main heading of the online-only text should be in 12 point and boldface; subheadings should be in 10 point and boldface.

Online-Only References. All references cited within the online-only document must be included in a separate reference section, including those that also were cited in the main manuscript. They should be formatted just as in the main manuscript and numbered and cited consecutively in the online-only material.

Online-Only Tables. Online-only tables should be inserted in the document and numbered consecutively according to the order of citation as eTable 1, eTable 2, etc. The text and data in online tables should be Arial font, 10 point in size, and single-spaced. The table title should be set in Arial font, 12 point, and bold. Headings within tables should be set in 10 point and bold. Table footnotes should be set in 8 point and single-spaced. See also instructions for Tables above. If a table runs on to subsequent pages, repeat the column headers at the top of each page. Wide tables my be presented using a landscape orientation.

Online-Only Figures. Online-only figures should be inserted in the document and numbered consecutively according to the order of citation as eFigure 1, eFigure 2, etc. Figure titles should be set in Arial font, 12 point, bold, and single-spaced. Text within figures should be set as Arial font, 10 point. Figure legends should be set in 8 point and single-spaced. Graphs and diagrams should be exported directly out of the software application used to create them in a vector file format, such as WMF, and then inserted into the Word document. Image file formats such as JPG, TIF, and GIF are generally not suitable for graphs. Photographs, including all radiological images, should be prepared as JPG (highest option) or TIF (uncompressed) files at a resolution of 300 dpi and width of 3-5 inches, but the resolution of photographic files with an original resolution <300 dpi should not be increased digitally to achieve a 300-dpi resolution. Photographs should be inserted in the document with the “Link to File” button turned off. Wide figures may be presented using a landscape orientation.

Videos. For editorial and peer review of an initial submission, submit videos in .mov, .wmv, .mpg, .mpeg, .mp4, or .avi file format. To facilitate uploading and reviewing, the initial video submitted should not exceed 10 MB. Verify that all videos are viewable in QuickTime or Windows Media Player before submission. Once the video has been approved for submission, you will be asked to upload an uncompressed version of the file in .dv or similar format (no size limit), with minimum physical dimensions of 480 pixels wide by 360 pixels high, to a secure FTP server. Please be prepared to provide this larger version promptly on request.

If the author does not hold copyright to the video, the author must obtain permission for the video to be published in Archives of Ophthalmology. This permission must be for unrestricted use in all print, online, and licensed versions of Archives of Ophthalmology. (See Permission to Reproduce Copyright-Protected Material Form.) Submit the completed form to the editorial office.

Please provide a voice-over with your video, a transcript of a voice-over to be played over the video, or a written legend. A voice-over may be created based on the transcript at the journal’s discretion.

General guidelines for videography:

• White-balance the camera.

• Use plenty of diffuse light; avoid shadows.

• Avoid incandescent (yellow) light. Use fluorescent lighting if possible. Use the appropriate setting/filter on the camera and always white-balance.

• Do not overexpose the image; a bit underexposed is preferable.

• Use a tripod. This is especially important in close-ups.

• Avoid excessive zooming. Use the optical zoom only; do not use a digital zoom.

• Turn all camera special effects off.

• Avoid using auto-focus. Manual focus is more accurate. Keep the camera at a fixed distance from the subject.

• Do not include an introduction by the physician as a “talking head” explaining a procedure. All footage should be of the procedure or relevant subject matter only.

• Provide a pause after changing the camera’s position. This allows for easier editing.

• When filming procedures, keep the physician’s head, hands, and any instruments away from the sightline of the camera. Instruct all involved surgical staff what is going to happen. Instruct assistants to minimize reaching across the field and suction tip entry in and out of the field, and to avoid having soiled surgical sponges obscure the view of the field. You may wish to practice access into and out of the surgical field without intruding on the sightline of the camera prior to actually performing the procedure or doing the filming.

• For surgical procedures, white gloves reflect the light. If possible, use brown or tan gloves. Please do not use vividly colored surgical gloves as they distract the viewer from the teaching point of the video.

• Be slow and deliberate in your movements. If you need to demonstrate a special instrument, hold it steady in one place to allow the camera to focus on it prior to your use of the instrument.

For each video, provide a citation in the appropriate place in the manuscript text and include a title (a brief phrase, preferably no longer than 10-15 words) and a caption/legend (a brief description or summary of the content) at the end of the manuscript. In the video caption/legend, specify the video file format and briefly describe the content of the video. Also, enter the same title and caption/legend in the designated fields on the Web-based manuscript submission system when uploading each video. If multiple video files are submitted, number them in the order in which they should be viewed.

Note: If the manuscript and accompanying video(s) are accepted for publication, all video files will be placed into a journal video frame and may be edited by the journal staff according to journal style.

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Instructions for Preparing Reports of Randomized Controlled Trials

The CONSORT Checklist should be used as a guideline and submitted with the manuscript. In addition, include a flow diagram illustrating the progress of patients throughout the trial (see Figure for example).

The checklist and flow diagram will be reviewed along with the manuscript. If the manuscript is accepted, the flow diagram will be published.

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Registration of Clinical Trials

Trial Registration. In concert with the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Archives of Ophthalmology will require, as a condition of consideration for publication, registration of all trials in a public trials registry that is acceptable to the ICMJE (ie, the registry must be owned by a not-for-profit entity, be publicly accessible, and require the minimum registration data set as described by the ICMJE. Acceptable trial registries include http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, http://isrctn.org, http://actr.org.au, http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/index.asp, and http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/. Trials must be registered at or before the onset of subject enrollment. This policy applies to any clinical trial starting enrollment after July 2005. For trials that began before July 2005 but that were not registered before September 13, 2005, trials must have been registered before journal submission. For this purpose, the ICMJE defines a clinical trial as any study that prospectively assigns human subjects to intervention or comparison groups to evaluate the cause-and-effect relationship between a medical intervention and a health outcome. Studies designed for other purposes, such as to study pharmacokinetics or major toxicity (eg, phase 1 trials), are exempt. The trial registry name, registration number, and the URL for the registry should be included at the end of the abstract and also in the space provided on the online manuscript submission form.

For details about this new policy, see the editorials by DeAngelis et al in the September 8, 2004 (2004;292[11]:1363-1364) and June 15, 2005 (2005;293[23]:2927) issues of JAMA. Additional details are provided in the September issue of Archives of Ophthalmology (Levin LA, Gottlieb JL, Beck RW, et al. Registration of clinical trials. Arch Ophthalmol. 2005;123[9]:1263-1264).

Last updated September 2011.