Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind, established in 1936, provides employment opportunities for persons who are visually impaired in Winston-Salem, N.C. It manufactures a wide range of products, from custom-made mattresses and military clothing to prescription eyeglasses for consumers in the local community and throughout the United States, as well as for military personnel and their families worldwide. The nonprofit organization operates an optical center, and a community low vision center that offers comprehensive eye exams by a specialty low-vision optometrist, individualized training and a complete line of low-vision products. Its retail outlet store sells bedding and household products to public. Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind is headquartered in Asheville, N.C., and is one of the largest employers of blind people.