Ohba, N; Nakao, K. 2010. The 101 Most Frequently Cited Articles in Ophthalmology Journals From 1850 to 1949. ARCHIVES OF OPHTHALMOLOGY 128 (12): 1610-1617

[Eugene Garfield]

Ohba, N; Nakao, K. 2010. The 101 Most Frequently Cited Articles in 
Ophthalmology Journals From 1850 to 1949. ARCHIVES OF OPHTHALMOLOGY 
128 (12): 1610-1617..

Author Full Name(s): Ohba, Norio; Nakao, Kumiko
Language: English
Document Type: Article

KeyWords Plus: OF-THE-LITERATURE; RECKLINGHAUSENS-DISEASE; PRIMARY 
TUMORS; OPTIC-NERVE; LIGHT; FIELD

Abstract: We screened 32 ophthalmology journals that had published articles 
during the period from 1850 through 1949 to identify top-cited articles in the 
field of ophthalmology (hereafter referred to as citation classics) using the 
online database Science Citation Index Expanded (Thompson Reuters, Chicago, 
Illinois). The 101 most frequently cited articles were published in 16 journals. 
Archives of Ophthalmology had the most top-cited articles (n=31), followed by 
American Journal of Ophthalmology (n=24) and Albrecht von Graefe's Archiv fur 
Ophthalmologie (n=9). These articles originated from 14 countries, with the 
United States publishing the majority (n=58). Most of the citation classics are 
clinical studies on topics such as rubella cataract, retinopathy of prematurity, 
keratoconjunctivitis sicca, sympathetic ophthalmia, and the first report of 
eponymous diseases (eg, Leber hereditary optic neuropathy, Duane retraction 
syndrome, and Stargardt disease). A considerable number of these articles 
were ignored initially and for several decades after publication, but, like the 
classic fairy tale Sleeping Beauty, they have been rediscovered. Our study 
provides a historical perspective on the classic papers in the literature that are 
still influential in ophthalmology. Arch Ophthalmol. 2010;128(12):1610-1617

Addresses: [Ohba, Norio] Aichishukutoku Univ, Fac Med Welf, Owariasahi, Aichi 
4880046, Japan; [Nakao, Kumiko] Kagoshima Univ, Dept Ophthalmol, Grad Sch 
Med, Kagoshima 890, Japan

Reprint Address: Ohba, N, Aichishukutoku Univ, Fac Med Welf, Asahigaoka 109-
3, Owariasahi, Aichi 4880046, Japan.

ISSN: 0003-9950