Glaucoma decisions — 2006

The veteran withdrew his appeal before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his multiple disabilities, including chronic low back pain, cerebrovascular accident, seizures, high blood pressure, diverticulosis of the colon, glaucoma, cataracts, prostate cancer, arthritis, renal lithiasis, and myocardial infarcts. The decision is based on the veteran's need for regular aid and assistance due to his disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for sinusitis in October 1955 and the claim is not reopened.,Service connection was also denied for left eye disorders, including chalazion, presbyopia, cataracts, glaucoma, and astigmatism.

The veteran's glaucoma is characterized by visual acuity no worse than 20/50 in one eye and 20/60 in the other eye, with abnormal visual fields not due to glaucoma. The criteria for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for glaucoma are met.

The Board found no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's right eye glaucoma to his service-connected traumatic left eye glaucoma or any other incident therein. The claim for service connection was denied, and the TDIU claim was also denied as the veteran's service-connected disability did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities are granted, with a 10 percent rating assigned for the upper gastrointestinal disability (GERD).

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and glaucoma, finding no credible evidence to support the veteran's claimed in-service stressors or onset of his glaucoma during service. The claim for unspecified disability(ies) as a result of exposure to Agent Orange was also denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for lower extremity conditions and glaucoma, finding no medical evidence linking these conditions to his active duty. The claim for an increased rating for Schamberg's disease with seborrheic keratosis was also denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for an eye disability, including as a result of mustard gas exposure during service, finding that there was no evidence of full body exposure to mustard gas and no relationship between the current eye disabilities (cataracts and glaucoma) and service.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's left eye disorder, diagnosed as left eye open angle glaucoma with retinal hemorrhage, finding that it was incurred in active military service.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including scheduling a VA ophthalmologic examination to determine the nature and severity of his right eye disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle disorder as secondary to his service-connected left eye disabilities and TDIU based on combined rating criteria. The veteran's left eye disorders are not considered a proximate cause of his left ankle injury.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, glaucoma (claimed as secondary to Agent Orange exposure), and ulcer (claimed as secondary to Agent Orange exposure). The Board found that there was no evidence of a head injury in service or any other link between the current conditions and military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for detached retina with glaucoma, left eye, status-post scleral buckle procedure due to a lack of evidence showing that the disability was caused by VA carelessness, negligence, or error.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is denied as there is no competent medical evidence showing that the veteran incurred additional disability from his cataract operation that was proximately due to negligence or other fault in the provision of VA hospital care in June 1954.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding evidence and the need for further medical opinions.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for an eye disability, including glaucoma, as there is no medical evidence showing a current disability or any link to military service.