Glaucoma decisions — 2021

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities met the schedular criteria for a TDIU from December 10, 2020. The Board remanded the matter of entitlement to a TDIU prior to that date.

The Board has remanded the case due to an open medical question regarding whether the Veteran's eye conditions, including glaucoma and cataracts, are caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for glaucoma, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current diagnosis and his in-service treatment. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's glaucoma was incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II; an open-angle glaucoma disability secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II; and hypertension secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right eye injuries with cataracts and glaucoma are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate previous examinations and failure to comply with prior remand directives.

The Board has granted service connection for hypothyroidism and remanded other issues including rating increases, effective date determinations, and service connection claims.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, finding that the evidence did not support a link between any of these conditions and the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral simple glaucoma is rated at 90 percent from October 7, 2011. The Board found that the evidence shows a combined rating of 90 percent since this date.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD due to MST and has remanded the Veteran's claims for a back disability, glaucoma, and TDIU.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to verify the Veteran's exposure to herbicides at Nakhon Phanom Air Base and to determine if his prostate cancer, glaucoma, and skin cancer residuals are related to service. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for glaucoma and other eye disabilities, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's initial evaluation for left eye glaucoma remains at 10 percent, and the claim for TDIU prior to April 2, 2019 is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and TDIU due to outstanding private treatment records not being obtained. The AOJ is instructed to seek these records from identified physicians and obtain a medical opinion regarding the onset of his service-connected disabilities and their impact on driving.

The Veteran's vision condition and acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding their relationship to service-connected diabetes.

The Board has found that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating. The claim for service connection of his bilateral eye disability is remanded due to inadequate medical opinion.

The Veteran's requests to reopen claims for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss disability, and open angle glaucoma with diabetic retinopathy and right eye blindness were granted. The issues of service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and right eye blindness are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date prior to February 4, 2015 for the grant of service connection for glaucoma.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various conditions, including eye disability (glaucoma), sleep apnea, colon polyps, GERD, hypothyroidism, restrictive lung disease, and adrenal gland tumor. The decision also notes that the Veteran is in receipt of Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits but has not provided relevant SSA records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for glaucoma, including as due to herbicide agent exposure and/or service-connected diabetes mellitus. The case is being returned for further development.