Glaucoma decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral eye disabilities, including open angle glaucoma of the left eye and status post cataract extraction, are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for her variously diagnosed bilateral eye disabilities is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the Veteran and his representative have withdrawn their appeal in a statement filed in April 2013.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for retinopathy and an increased evaluation for a bilateral hearing loss disability. The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran had current diagnoses of these conditions, or that they were related to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of glaucoma, an increased evaluation for his left chorioretinal scar, and a separate initial evaluation for his bilateral photosensitivity.

The Veteran's left eye disability, including blindness, is considered to be related to an injury sustained during service while playing racquetball. The Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral primary open-angle glaucoma is found to be due to his service-connected hypertension and thus granted as secondary.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection as his right eye blindness and glaucoma are not considered to be related to an in-service head injury, despite the Veteran's assertions of such. The examiner found no evidence of direct trauma to the eyes during service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's additional disability, resulting from left eye cataract surgery performed on May 18, 2006 at the Ann Arbor VA medical center, is not due to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA. The Board also finds that the complications are not reasonably foreseeable.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and medical opinions to determine if the Veteran's current right eye disorders are related to his active military service.

The Veteran's cataracts are due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The open angel glaucoma is not caused or aggravated by a service connected disability, and the heart disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's glaucoma in each eye, including loss of light perception in the left eye, is permanently aggravated by his service-connected generalized anxiety disorder with panic attacks and agoraphobia. As a result, the claim for service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's current glaucoma and hypertension were not related to his service or any incident of service origin, including exposure to herbicides. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for updated private treatment records and an updated VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for type II diabetes mellitus with associated open angle glaucoma was denied.,The Veteran's request for an effective date earlier than April 2, 2009, for the grant of service connection for type II diabetes mellitus was also denied.

The Veteran's bilateral glaucoma is service-connected. Service connection for an eye disability other than glaucoma is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of the record, including obtaining SSA records and a VA examination to determine the current severity of his bilateral pes planus with hallux valgus deformity.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including glaucoma, pancreatitis, prostate disorder, syncope, headache disorder, neck disorder, and back disorder, were not incurred or aggravated during active duty service. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's lumbar spine, right knee, and right shoulder disabilities were not incurred in service. The Board also found that the Veteran did not have a chronic disability manifested by blurred vision during service.,Prostatitis was granted an initial evaluation of 60 percent from December 1, 2010.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to incomplete records and need for further medical examination.