Glaucoma decisions — 2004

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for additional left eye disability caused by surgery performed in August 1999 at a VA Medical Center, finding that this condition is service-connected.

The veteran is seeking compensation benefits for a right eye disorder that resulted from surgeries performed at the VA medical facility in April and June 2002. The claim is being remanded to obtain an opinion regarding whether the additional disability was caused by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill or error in judgment on the part of staff at the VA medical facility.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for psychiatric and hip disabilities, but denied all other issues due to lack of evidence showing an in-service origin or a nexus to service.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between any of these conditions and his military service or exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Board found that the veteran's Reiter's syndrome, arthritis, BPH, herpes simplex, glaucoma, and conjunctivitis are all related to his service-connected urethritis. The veteran's claims for increased rating of urethritis were also granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's glaucoma, which is not listed as a disease specific to radiation-exposed veterans and is not considered radiogenic diseases, was not incurred in or aggravated by service for accrued benefits purposes.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, including left eye glaucoma, right eye uveitis, anxiety disorder (depression), hypertension, and heart disorder, were not incurred or aggravated by service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and residuals of a left eye injury (including macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and uveitis) as new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen these claims.

The veteran seeks service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus and its secondary effects. The case is being remanded to obtain additional evidence regarding the veteran's exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding medical records and a need for a medical opinion regarding whether the veteran's bilateral glaucoma is secondary to his service-connected hypertension.

The veteran is seeking an increased rating for his service-connected open angle glaucoma, which is currently rated at 20 percent. The VA has not obtained all of the veteran's treatment records from the VAMC in Detroit and must ensure that these records are obtained before proceeding with the decision.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is rated at 60 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. His service-connected conditions do not warrant an extraschedular evaluation.

The Board found that the veteran's glaucoma was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The bilateral eye disability remains at a 50 percent rating, sinusitis is not compensable, and scars of the nose and face are rated as noncompensable.

The veteran's appeal was denied for service connection of an ankle and leg disorder due to mustard gas exposure, as well as for increased ratings for interstitial lung disease, glaucoma, and Schamberg's Disease with seborrheic keratosis.

The veteran's prostate disorder, glaucoma and cataracts (blindness), and hearing loss are all found to be related to service. The RO granted the veteran a full-dollar rating for his PTSD and awarded DEA benefits to his children.

The Board denied service connection for glaucoma, asthma due to tobacco use or nicotine dependence, heart disease including hypertension secondary to tobacco use or nicotine dependence, and nicotine dependence. The veteran's trichophytosis of the feet was granted a compensable evaluation.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeal due to his withdrawal of his appeal for service connection for alcoholism prior to the issuance of a decision.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including scheduling a VA medical examination and obtaining pertinent treatment records.