Radio shows were sometimes sponsored by organizations that wanted to bring attention to a particular industry or a set of values important to the organization. Sometimes the message was subtle and sometimes the message was more obvious. In the case of the Men of Vision radio show, sponsored by the Better Vision Institute of America, the purpose was to promote eye health. 

Using the play on the word vision, the show presented dramatized biographies of "men who've opened the eyes of the world" through optical discoveries and inventions. The series was sponsored on local radio stations by optometrists, ophthalmologists, and opticians. It proved to be so popular that the institute printed booklets to go along with the show. 

The 15-minute shows blended the feature subject's personal life and how his experiences shaped the quest for his discoveries. Subjects profiled ran the gamut from Leonardo da Vinci and his telescope design to Gutenberg and the printed word. The show began in 1934 and ended in 1937.