F J Povedano Montero1, F López-Muñoz2, F Hidalgo Santa Cruz3. 1. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Camilo José Cela, Madrid, España; Centro Óptico Montero, Madrid, España. Electronic address: grupocom6@gmail.com. 2. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Camilo José Cela, Madrid, España; Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas (Área de Farmacología), Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, España; Unidad de Neuropsicofarmacología, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Instituto de Investigación (i+12), Madrid, España. 3. Centro Boston de Optometría, Madrid, España.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Using a bibliometric approach an analysis was made of the scientific publications of Spanish investigators in the area of optometry, from 1974 until 2013. METHODS: The EMBASE database was used for this study, employing optomtr*, optic*, visual, vision, eye*, and ophthalm* as search terms. The most common bibliometric indicators were applied for the selected publications. RESULTS: The number of published articles retrieved for Spain from 1974-2013 was 1,055. The growth of publications was more exponential (R=0.93) than linear (R= 0.71). The doubling time of scientific production was 3.63 years. The level of productivity primarily corresponded to small producers (Transience index of 64%). The collaboration index was 4.4 authors per paper. The majority of the output was generated in academic settings (62.27%). The Bradford core was formed by four journals, in which Optometry and Vision Science accounted for the majority of publications, with 11.85%. CONCLUSIONS: Research in the area of optometry in Spain is in a phase of exponential growth, containing a high level of transient authors, which may indicate either a low productivity or the presence of investigators from other related fields that have published in a sporadic manner in this area. A small number of research groups are responsible for producing the majority of articles, primarily in an academic setting. There is a high concentration of publications in a few journals.
OBJECTIVE: Using a bibliometric approach an analysis was made of the scientific publications of Spanish investigators in the area of optometry, from 1974 until 2013. METHODS: The EMBASE database was used for this study, employing optomtr*, optic*, visual, vision, eye*, and ophthalm* as search terms. The most common bibliometric indicators were applied for the selected publications. RESULTS: The number of published articles retrieved for Spain from 1974-2013 was 1,055. The growth of publications was more exponential (R=0.93) than linear (R= 0.71). The doubling time of scientific production was 3.63 years. The level of productivity primarily corresponded to small producers (Transience index of 64%). The collaboration index was 4.4 authors per paper. The majority of the output was generated in academic settings (62.27%). The Bradford core was formed by four journals, in which Optometry and Vision Science accounted for the majority of publications, with 11.85%. CONCLUSIONS: Research in the area of optometry in Spain is in a phase of exponential growth, containing a high level of transient authors, which may indicate either a low productivity or the presence of investigators from other related fields that have published in a sporadic manner in this area. A small number of research groups are responsible for producing the majority of articles, primarily in an academic setting. There is a high concentration of publications in a few journals.