The College of Optometrists chooses Springer Nature as new publishing partner in centenary year of its flagship title OPO
Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics (OPO) – a leading international journal for contemporary vision science and optometry, complements the publisher’ s strong international portfolio of medical journals
London | Berlin | New York, 07 May 2025
Springer Nature has been selected as the new publishing partner for The College of Optometrists' flagship journal, Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics (OPO), a leading journal for contemporary research in vision science and optometry. It joins the publisher’s portfolio of around 3,000 titles, where the publisher is ranked first in research for the number of top 50 journals by impact factor.
This new collaboration builds on Springer Nature and The College of Optometrists’ commitment to evidence-based high-quality research, expanding access to research with real-world impact for the public, research, policy and the optometric profession. This new partnership comes at a key moment for both Springer Nature and OPO, with OPO celebrating 100 years of publication and research excellence and Springer Nature celebrating its 10th anniversary building on 180+ years of its trusted brands.
Maria Hodges, Publishing Director Springer Nature said:
“Springer Nature offers a rich and varied portfolio of medical journals that complement The College of Optometrists’ eminent journal. As evidenced by our strong author satisfaction scores and increased year-on-year usage of the content we publish, our aim is to be a trusted partner for our authors, supporting them in the development, distribution and engagement with their research. We are delighted to have been selected by The College to publish their flagship title, and in our collective anniversary years. We look forward to working together to maximise access to this high-quality content helping clinicians and health care professionals, globally, stay at the forefront of medical science."
The College of Optometrists champions optometrists and the role they play by developing their knowledge and skills, defining good optometric practice, supporting optical research and innovation and education and advising the public on eye health. Its flagship academic journal, OPO, is internationally read and cited, providing a key resource for optometrists, clinicians and educators seeking high quality evidence to support their clinical practice, and a vital route for clinical and academic researchers to publish their work. The journal publishes seven times a year, with the first issue under Springer Nature set for publication in January 2026.
Michael Bowen, Director of Knowledge and Research at The College of Optometrists commented:
“As Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics (OPO) enters its second century of publication, we are proud to mark this milestone by partnering with Springer Nature from January 2026. For 100 years, OPO has been at the forefront of publishing research that shapes clinical practice and advances knowledge in optometry and eye health. This new chapter with Springer Nature underlines the College’s ongoing commitment to excellence in research and to supporting the next generation of academics, researchers and clinicians and in the field of optometry."
Professor Mark Rosenfield MCOptom, PhD, FAAO, the Editor-in-chief of OPO added, “OPO has provided a key resource for optometrists seeking high quality evidence to support their clinical practice, and a vital route for clinical and academic researchers to publish their work. From the journal’s early beginnings as the British Journal of Physiological Optics, we now have over 400,000 readers across the world, confirming OPO’s continuing reputation as the leading journal for contemporary vision science and optometry.”
More information on The College of Optometrists’ website. More information about Springer Nature’s partnerships with societies can be found here, and its commitment and progress as a publisher in its Annual Progress and OA reports.
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Springer Nature is one of the leading publishers of research in the world. We publish the largest number of journals and books and are a pioneer in open research. Through our leading brands, trusted for more than 180 years, we provide technology-enabled products, platforms and services that help researchers to uncover new ideas and share their discoveries, health professionals to stay at the forefront of medical science, and educators to advance learning. We are proud to be part of progress, working together with the communities we serve to share knowledge and bring greater understanding to the world. For more information, please visit about.springernature.com and @SpringerNature.
The College of Optometrists is the professional body for optometry. It qualifies the profession and delivers the guidance and training to ensure optometrists provide the best possible care. We promote excellence through the College’s affixes, by building the evidence base for optometry, and raising awareness of the profession with the public, commissioners, and health care professionals.
OPO is a leading international journal for contemporary research in vision science and optometry.
OPO is the research journal of The College of Optometrists. It is read and cited around the world, and helps clinicians and educators stay up to date with the latest research findings on the development, use and restoration of vision.
Katie Baker | Springer Nature | Communications and Corporate Affairs
