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Optometry
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He’s received many accolades over his long and distinguished career. And, now Mitchell Scheiman, OD, PhD ‘16, FAAO, FCOVD, can add the “Herbie” to his list of accomplishments.
More formally known as the Herbert Wertheim Award given by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO), the affectionately called “Herbie” award will be presented to Dr. Scheiman at Optometry’s Meeting, the annual conference of the American Optometric Association (AOA), this year from June 17-20 in Phoenix.
“I was both surprised and deeply honored when I learned I had been selected for this award,” said Dr. Scheiman, who found out via email that he had been chosen for the honor. “Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to receive recognition from organizations and colleagues I greatly respect, but this award is particularly meaningful because it recognizes contributions that have had a sustained impact on patient care, research and education.”
Dr. Scheiman is always quick to shift the focus away from himself and toward his collaborators and trainees, the people be believes make the work possible.
“This award recognizes the collective impact of decades of collaborative work with outstanding colleagues, students and trainees in research, education and clinical care,” he said.
The senior associate dean of Research and professor at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Drexel University on the Elkins Park campus, Dr. Scheiman is an internationally recognized clinician-scientist in binocular vision and pediatric optometry. He has devoted his career to advancing the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of binocular vision disorders, amblyopia, and vision problems associated with concussion.
Over more than four decades in academic optometry, Dr. Scheiman has played a leading role in developing the evidence base for vision therapy and binocular vision care. He served as study chair of the National Eye Institute, funded Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial and the Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial - Attention and Reading Trial (CITT-ART), landmark multi-center studies that established effective treatments for symptomatic convergence insufficiency in children. He currently serves as national study chair for a Department of Defense–funded clinical trial investigating vision dysfunction following concussion.
Dr. Scheiman has authored more than 265 scientific publications and several influential textbooks, including the Clinical Management of Binocular Vision, one of the most widely used references in optometric education and clinical practice. His research has been cited more than 20,000 times and has helped shape clinical guidelines and standards of care for binocular vision disorders.
In addition to his research contributions, Dr. Scheiman has mentored numerous PhD students, residents, and early-career investigators, helping train the next generation of clinician-scientists in vision science. His many honors include the Glenn A. Fry Award from the American Academy of Optometry and induction into the Halls of Fame of both the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) and the AOA.
The Herbert Wertheim Award recognizes remarkable individuals or organizations that have accomplished high-impact, ground-breaking, and innovative programs or initiatives, and contributed substantially, or have the potential to sustainably address eye and vision health and/or the social determinants of eye health and vision care, at the local, national, or global level.
Dr. Wertheim is a doctor of optometry, inventor, businessman and philanthropist. He is also the founder and president of Brain Power Incorporated and in 1969 invented an eyeglass tint for plastic lenses that would filter out and absorb dangerous ultraviolet rays.
Although he has not had the opportunity to know Dr. Wertheim personally, Dr. Scheiman said he greatly admires what Dr. Wertheim has accomplished for optometry and higher education.
“His career has been very different from mine, combining innovation, entrepreneurship, invention, business leadership and philanthropy,” said Dr. Scheiman. “One of the things that makes this award especially meaningful is that it recognizes many different types of contributions to the profession. It’s an honor to be associated with an award that bears his name.”
Dr. Wertheim is the Founding Chairman of the Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, an advisor to its Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and Honorary Chairman of the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering at the University of Florida.
In 2021, Dr. Wertheim donated $50 million to UC Berkeley Optometry, now known as the Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science at UC Berkeley.
