Glaucoma decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and further development is needed.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD and finds new evidence sufficient to establish an in-service stressor. The claims for diabetes mellitus type II and glaucoma are denied as there is no competent and credible evidence establishing a direct link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rate of SMC was granted, and the effective date for this grant was set at May 13, 2014. The Veteran also received an earlier effective date for his entitlement to SMC.

The Veteran was granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and hypertension. He is presumed to have glaucoma due to his military service, benign prostatic hypertrophy due to herbicide exposure, and erectile dysfunction also due to herbicide exposure.,Service connection for sleep apnea has been denied as the Veteran did not provide evidence of a current diagnosis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral glaucoma with blindness, but granted his claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus. The decision is not clear on whether new and material evidence was submitted to reopen the glaucoma claim.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for glaucoma, which he claims is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The case has been remanded due to inadequate opinions regarding the relationship between the conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's vision disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected right foot arthritis, to include medication for that disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for glaucoma, hypertension, and paranoid schizophrenia with depressive disorder. The evidence did not show a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and translating documents. The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and major depressive disorder) and glaucoma are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of bilateral glaucoma is not related to his active service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, low back disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder (schizoaffective disorder with depressive features), and glaucoma were not supported by credible evidence of in-service injury or chronic symptoms. The Board denied these service connection claims.

The Board finds that glaucoma of the bilateral eyes was not incurred or aggravated during service and is not shown to be caused by or aggravated by a service-connected disability. Therefore, service connection for this condition cannot be established.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his glaucoma and COPD.

The Board has granted service connection for sarcoidosis and has remanded the issue of service connection for residuals of an eye injury, to include glaucoma.

The Board has ordered a new examination to determine whether the Veteran's other eye disabilities are related to his service-connected minimal hyperemia of the eyes, and to distinguish any visual impairment or disfigurement due to service-connected minimal hyperemia from that due to other diagnosed eye disorders.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral glaucoma and left eye cataracts (post-surgical) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected sinusitis, status post multiple sinus operations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a video conference hearing at the earliest available opportunity. The issues of service connection for glaucoma, peripheral neuropathy, posttraumatic vertigo including as secondary to hydrocephalus, and hydrocephalus are pending.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral glaucoma, which he claims was incurred during his military service. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical records and determine the etiology of the Veteran's glaucoma.

The Veteran's claim for compensation for glaucoma is denied as he does not meet the medical criteria for a diagnosis of glaucoma and has no symptoms of glaucoma.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records and provide opinions regarding the etiology of his skin, eye, and sleep disorders.