Barb’s Story

Barb Tally standing near a jewelry display of a necklace she made - image.Barb Tally came to Vision Forward through a referral from the Wisconsin Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR). Barb has uveitis (an inflammation of the middle layer of the eye) and glaucoma.

Although Barb has never let vision issues slow her down — she earned a bachelor’s degree, ran a successful framing business, taught flower-arranging classes, and, with her husband, raised three children — vision loss began to have a profound impact on her job. “I felt like I was on an emotional roller coaster,” recalls Barb.

Barb came to Vision Forward in need of assistance and support. She registered for some training classes and enrolled in our New Perspectives support series, which provides strategies for living with vision loss and helps people realize they’re not alone in the process.

Through the initial assessment process, Barb expressed her love of art and jewelry making and explained that despite her vision loss, she has developed methods for continuing to create beautiful, professional pieces. Staff introduced Barb to Rose Fortney, a legally blind artist and friend of Vision Forward, and the two discovered they have a lot in common. Rose’s positive “been there, done that” attitude is inspiring Barb to continue to be active and enjoy life.

Barb is a great example of how our services and programs can help people at every stage of vision loss.