Editorial Team

Dr. Ralph Chou, Editor in Chief

Dr. Benoit Tousignant, Co-Editor

Dr. Etty Bitton, University of Montreal

Dr. Daphne McCulloch, University of Waterloo

Dr. Diane N. Sayah, University of Houston

Elaine Sittinger, Publisher, Maracle Inc.

Ally Pollard, Graphic Design and Pre-press, Maracle Inc.

Julie Vanghelder, Director of Communications and Marketing, Canadian Association of Optometrists.

Editorial Board Guidelines

The Canadian Journal of Optometry (CJO) is the official publication of the Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO). The CAO maintains criteria (outlined below) for the selection of CJO’s Editorial Board members, who are Doctors of Optometry acknowledged by their peers as experts in their fields. Editorial Board Members are committed to enhancing the CJO’s reputation as a trusted source of information for optometrists.

Membership 

  • The editorial board will consist of a minimum of 5 members, including the Editor-in-Chief.
    • The Editor-in-Chief will ensure that the overall membership of the editorial board reflects the geographic, ethnic and gender diversity of the profession.
  • Members will be appointed by the Editor-in-Chief for a three-year, annually renewable term.
  • Members do not receive direct financial compensation.
  • Members must have published at least 5 times in a peer-reviewed journal.
  • Members must be:
    • members of the Canadian Association of Optometry, preferably with graduate school or residency training; OR
    • faculty working in the field of visual science or vision science at an accredited university.

The Editor-in-Chief will:

  • be a Professor of Optometry
  • serve a three-year renewable term
  • have significant publication experience with peer-reviewed journals
  • be an acknowledged expert with the subject area
  • establish annual objectives for timely publication
  • evaluate the performance of board members
  • approve all final versions of articles for inclusion in the Journal.

Roles and Responsibilities

Members of the editorial board will:

  • enhance the journal's reputation as a trusted source of information for optometrists
  • identify topics and potential authors for regular issues as well as supplements
  • ensure a fair, timely and impartial peer review process of submitted articles
  • respond to author grievances if applicable

Member of the Editorial Board may submit manuscripts under specific conditions:

CJO will ensure impartial and fair handling of manuscript submissions by individuals involved in editorial decisions, maintaining the integrity and quality of the peer-review and publication process:

If an editor submits their own manuscript (as per author guidelines), a colleague in the editorial office will manage the manuscript, ensuring that the editor/author recuses themselves from discussion and decisions related to their own submission. Editors will not have access to their own manuscripts during the decision-making process to maintain confidentiality and avoid any potential bias. Editorials and/or opinion pieces are an exception to this rule.

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for maintaining confidentiality for any submissions received.

Meetings of the Editorial Board

  • The editorial board will meet twice a year in-person or by teleconference.
  • Quorum shall be two-thirds of the membership of the board.
  • The Editor-in-Chief will chair the meetings (or designate another member of the editorial board to chair in his/her absence) and serve as recording secretary.