Glaucoma decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's eye problems, including glaucoma and dry eyes, are service-connected. However, his arthritis of the right knee and left knee are not service-connected.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus with hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and gastroparesis is rated at 20 percent prior to June 9, 2016, and 60 percent thereafter. The Veteran's atherosclerotic coronary vascular disease (CAD) is also rated at 60 percent since May 10, 2016. Service connection has been established for right and left upper extremity neuropathy, lip disability, mitral regurgitation and tricuspid regurgitation, glaucoma/cataracts, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and gastroparesis as secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral eye condition, elevated intraocular pressures, unknown etiology, and pre-glaucoma open angle with cupping of optic discs. The Veteran's private physician found a high chance that the current open angle glaucoma is related to his previous eye trauma during active service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's glaucoma is at least as likely as not incurred in service, and grants service connection for simple glaucoma with bilateral snowflake cortical cataracts.

The Board has denied service connection for a heart disability, an acquired psychiatric disability, and GERD. The Veteran's diagnoses do not meet the criteria for service connection as they are either unrelated to his in-service exposure or due to other causes.,Specifically, the examiner found that the Veteran's mild aortic atherosclerosis with history of myocardial infarction is less likely than not related to any in-service herbicide exposure and was not caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The acquired psychiatric disability developed approximately 30 years prior to his diabetes diagnosis and is less likely than not worsened by his service-connected diabetes mellitus. His GERD is also less likely than not the result of herbicide exposure during active service or caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran seeks service connection for glaucoma, which he claims is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and provide a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability rating, service connection, and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination to assess the Veteran's left ear hearing loss and eye disability.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations to address his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's left eye disorder is not service-connected as it did not manifest in service and there is no evidence of a nexus between the current condition and his military service.,Service connection for sleep apnea has been granted as the Veteran experienced symptoms during service and post-service, with medical opinion supporting an etiological link to active duty.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of glaucoma, which was secondary to a service-connected condition (right epiretinal membrane).

The Veteran's residuals of stroke with neovascular glaucoma with loss of vision in the right eye are found to be etiologically related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus service connection is granted.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for left eye paralysis with glaucoma under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1151, alleging that VA treatment caused his condition.

The Veteran's bilateral eye disability, specifically glaucoma, was rated at 30 percent from February 5, 2009 to July 9, 2017 and at 40 percent since July 10, 2017. The claim of service connection for a respiratory disorder has not been reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete STRs and issues related to service connection for glaucoma and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as a TDIU claim. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right shoulder degenerative joint changes and supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendinopathy (right shoulder disorder) and glaucoma, finding that there was no evidence showing these conditions began during active service or were related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board denied service connection for glaucoma and a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD. The Veteran's glaucoma was not shown to be incurred or aggravated by his military service, and the evidence did not support a finding that it was related to radiation exposure. For PTSD, the Board found no evidence of symptoms warranting a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not due to, the result of, or aggravated by his service-connected seizure disorder medication. Therefore, these claims for secondary service connection have been denied.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae and granted it. The Veteran's glaucoma claim was withdrawn at his hearing, thus no further action is taken on this issue.