Dr. Herbert A. Wertheim, O.D., is an American businessman, the self-made billionaire founder and President of Brain Power Incorporated (BPI), a global leader in ophthalmic tinting instruments and chemicals. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1939 to Jewish parents, he was diagnosed with dyslexia and faced truancy charges at age 16.

His career is rooted in a unique technical and scientific background: he enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he was trained in physics, mathematics, chemistry, and avionics, becoming a Navy aviator and engineer. He later studied at the University of Florida and earned his O.D. degree in Optometry in 1967. His career began with research into the dangers of ultraviolet light and the use of UV filters to protect the human eye—the start of his lucrative focus on preventing cataracts and macular degeneration.

Dr. Herbert Wertheim founded Brain Power Incorporated (BPI) in 1971, which became the world's largest manufacturer of ophthalmic tinting instruments and chemicals (introducing UV-absorbing dyes in 1983). His career is defined by his prolific invention and patent portfolio (holding more than 100 patents and trademarks). His work as a clinician and inventor has profoundly raised the standard of optometric care globally.

His personal wealth, built through his industrial company and astute early stock market investments (buying Learjet stock as a young man in the Navy), is immense. He is a major philanthropist through the Wertheim Family Foundation, funding massive initiatives in medical research and education (donating $100 million to the University of Florida for its new Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering). He served as an early NASA engineer at Cape Canaveral and worked at General Dynamics.

• Brain Power Incorporated (BPI) (Founder & President): The core asset, the world's largest manufacturer of ophthalmic tinting instruments and chemicals (inventing UV-absorbing dyes).
• Intellectual Property (IP): His fortune is built on his more than 100 patents and trademarks in eye care technology.
• Early Investment: He made his first investment buying stock in Learjet while in the Navy.
• Philanthropic Focus: Major donor of $100 million to the University of Florida for its College of Engineering.

Dr. Herbert Wertheim's social impact is massive and structural, tied to his inventions that helped prevent cataracts and macular degeneration in millions of people globally. His structural philanthropy funds higher education and engineering research, ensuring the long-term development of scientific talent. He has supported the John Wayne Cancer Institute and the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles.

His career provides a powerful narrative of a polymath—engineer, aviator, scientist, and optometrist—who overcame learning challenges to create a fortune based on medical invention and structural philanthropy.

Dr. Herbert Wertheim maintains the professional, intellectual style of a scientist-businessman. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic reflects his stability and profound intellectual authority, often contrasted with his humble early life.

Residing in Lake Worth, Florida, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to medical invention, diversified investment, and his profound commitment to philanthropy and higher education.