Glaucoma decisions — 2007

The Board found that the veteran's glaucoma and PTSD were not service-connected. The glaucoma was determined to be a pre-existing condition without evidence of aggravation during service, while no in-service stressor for PTSD could be established.

The Board has determined that the preponderance of the evidence is against the veteran's claims for service connection for glaucoma and tinea corporis, finding no current diagnosis or link to service.

Service connection for COPD, basal cell carcinoma of the arms, hands, face, chest, and back, and glaucoma is denied.,The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions are related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a disability rating greater than 60 percent for his cervical spine condition and for entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not support an increased rating or TDIU determination.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not currently have glaucoma in his right eye and therefore denied service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's glaucoma does not meet or approximate the criteria for a disability rating higher than 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's glaucoma is not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected glaucoma is not productive of impairment of corrected visual acuity to at least 20/50 in one eye and 20/70 (6/21) in the other eye, or visual field loss of nasal half bilaterally, temporal half bilaterally, or homonymous hemianopsia. Therefore, a disability rating in excess of 10 percent is not warranted.

The Board has determined that the appellant is not blind in both eyes, does not require nursing home care due to mental or physical incapacity, and her disabilities do not necessitate regular aid and attendance of another person on a regular basis. The appellant's conditions are deemed insufficient for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and glaucoma, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA eye examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected traumatic glaucoma of the left eye. The claim will be readjudicated based on the additional evidence.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim of entitlement to a disability rating of 30 percent for glaucoma, resolving doubt in his favor. The veteran's visual field contraction is now rated at 45 degrees or less, which warrants a 30 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 6080.

The veteran's claim for reopening his right eye glaucoma service connection was granted due to the submission of new and material evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further examination and clarification of whether negligence or lack of proper skill by VA caused post-operative complications following left eye cataract extraction with intraocular lens implantation.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have glaucoma that was present in service, manifested within one year of discharge from service, or is otherwise related to active duty service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for glaucoma, refractive error, degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, and arthritis as secondary to his service-connected shrapnel wounds.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral eye injury and denied an increased evaluation for bilateral hearing loss. The veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The RO found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his service-connected conditions.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral glaucoma as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, finding that there is no competent medical evidence showing a causal relationship between the two conditions.

The Board has denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for glaucoma, finding that the new evidence submitted does not provide a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.