Springer Nature last week announced it has been selected as the new publishing partner for The College of Optometrists' flagship journal, Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics (OPO), a journal for contemporary research in vision science and optometry. It joins the publisher’s portfolio of around 3,000 titles.
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, added the publisher.
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.”
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