Glaucoma decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and deficiencies in the examination reports.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and found that the Veteran's current symptoms are related to his active military service. The issue of a rating in excess of 10 percent for Posner-Schlossman glaucoma is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service exposure to herbicides, and thus could not establish presumptive service connection based on Agent Orange exposure. Additionally, there was no direct or secondary service connection established.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral eye disabilities, including glaucoma, cataracts, and pseudophakia, are not related to his active duty service, particularly the environmental exposures in Greenland. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus did not cause additional disability due to a delay in diagnosis. The uveitic glaucoma resulting from cataract surgery was a foreseeable complication and within the expected care standard.

The Veteran's hypertension has been granted an initial rating of 10 percent, but his claim for service connection for glaucoma is denied.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, cerebrovascular accident, hypercholesterolemia, a disability manifested by left eye pain (phacomorphic glaucoma), and a disability manifested by blurring of vision (phacomorphic glaucoma) as well as hypertension. The claims were not reopened.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of treatment records and the need for a retroactive VA opinion regarding the Veteran's need for special monthly pension based on the need for aid and attendance prior to September 4, 2013.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right arm, right leg, left leg radiculopathy, hemorrhoids, and glaucoma have been denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral eye disabilities, including whether any current right or left eye conditions are related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal regarding his claims for service connection for glaucoma and sclerotic cataracts, as well as his requests for specially adapted housing (SAH) and a special home adaptation grant. The decision was based on the finding that no timely notice of disagreement (NOD) was filed within one year of the September 1993 rating decision.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for memory loss due to withdrawal by the appellant's attorney. The claims of service connection for hypertension, low back strain with neurological damage, and TIAs, stroke, and seizure disorder have been reopened but are denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service or post-service treatment records indicate they began within one year following discharge from service. Service connection for DMII and glaucoma has also been denied due to lack of evidence showing their onset in service or a link to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as the evidence did not establish a link between his claimed conditions and his active military service, including presumed herbicide exposure. The Board found that testicular cancer is not associated with herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and bilateral cataracts with glaucoma are not related to his military service, including exposure to herbicides or other environmental factors.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for a low back disability. The claims of service connection for sleep apnea, congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus, glaucoma, and peripheral neuropathy have been denied as not supported by evidence showing direct service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability during the pendency of the claim. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a hearing loss disability at any time since May 2005, and therefore, service connection could not be granted.

The Board has granted service connection for glaucoma of the left eye as secondary to a pre-existing right eye condition (optic nerve pallor with glaucoma).

The Veteran's initial evaluations for diabetes and narrow angle glaucoma associated with diabetes have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating were granted, with the grant of service connection for multiple diagnosed eye conditions resulting in a 70% disability rating. The Veteran was also awarded compensation based on his need for aid and attendance.

The Board has determined that there is no probative evidence of record linking the Veteran's claimed conditions to his military service, and thus denied all claims for service connection.