The International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology (IJCEO) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical publishing. This Publication Ethics Statement is based on the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

Responsibilities of Authors

• Submit original, unpublished work that is not under review elsewhere.
• Provide accurate and complete reporting of research findings.
• Ensure that all co-authors meet ICMJE criteria for authorship.
• Acknowledge all funding sources and conflicts of interest.
• Include ethical approval statements for studies involving humans or animals.

Responsibilities of Editors

• Ensure fair and unbiased manuscript evaluation.
• Protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts.
• Make publication decisions based solely on academic merit.
• Address allegations of misconduct promptly and transparently.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

• Provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback.
• Maintain confidentiality of manuscripts under review.
• Report any suspected plagiarism, fabrication, or ethical concerns.
• Disclose potential conflicts of interest before accepting review invitations.

Research Integrity

All research must comply with international ethical standards. Studies involving human participants require informed consent and institutional ethics approval. Animal studies must comply with recognized welfare guidelines such as ARRIVE. Clinical trials must be registered in recognized trial registries.

Plagiarism and Misconduct

IJCEO strictly prohibits plagiarism, data falsification, image manipulation, and duplicate submissions. Suspected cases are investigated following COPE flowcharts, and corrective actions include corrections, retractions, or author sanctions.

Conflict of Interest

All authors, editors, and reviewers must declare potential conflicts of interest. Transparent disclosure ensures credibility and trust in published research.

Corrections and Retractions

IJCEO publishes corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern as needed to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record. Retractions follow COPE guidelines and are issued for proven misconduct or major errors.

Publisher’s Responsibilities

• Support editorial independence.
• Provide infrastructure for ethical publishing (e.g., plagiarism screening, DOI assignment).
• Ensure compliance with open access and archiving policies.
• Promote accessibility and inclusivity across platforms.

Ethical Oversight

The editorial board and publisher collaborate to uphold ethical standards. Misconduct allegations are investigated thoroughly, and actions are taken in line with international best practices.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if misconduct is suspected?

Allegations are investigated confidentially. Authors are given the opportunity to respond before decisions are made.

Does IJCEO allow simultaneous submissions?

No. Manuscripts under review elsewhere cannot be submitted to IJCEO.

How does IJCEO handle image manipulation?

Image adjustments are acceptable if applied to the entire image and described in the manuscript. Fabrication or selective manipulation is considered misconduct.