Blindness

A nonprofit textile manufacturer in Charlotte, called Lions Services, has multimillion-dollar contracts to produce gear such as backpacks and hydration carriers for the U.S. military. The meticulous sewing is done by a workforce that is mostly blind or visually impaired.

Cassidy Hooper, 22, is pretty typical for a college student. She's trying to keep up with sociology and American government classes at Central Piedmont…