Glaucoma decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating more than 10 percent for diabetic retinopathy with macular edema, open angle glaucoma, and cataracts is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his VA treatment records and clarification on visual field testing results.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's glaucoma, which was not granted in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for vision loss, finding that the evidence did not support a link between his current eye conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's hypertension, eye disability, recurrent sinus disability, left hip disability, right knee disability, and left facial injury residuals with chronic headaches and facial numbness are all remanded for further examination and opinion.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions based on exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral cataract disability and increased ratings for residuals of compound fracture, right wrist and left wrist. The Veteran's claims are currently under review.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for glaucoma, secondary to diabetes mellitus, was reopened and granted. Service connection is also granted for tinnitus.,Service connection for sleep apnea and traumatic brain injury remains pending as the claims are remanded.

The Veteran's right eye retinal detachment and glaucoma are granted service connection. The ratings for his left thumb, long finger, and ring finger disabilities are increased to 10 percent each.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for open angle glaucoma and a lumbar spine disability, to include arthritis of the lumbar spine and chronic low back strain, are granted. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.

The Board has found that the development conducted does not comply with the prior Board remand directives and has ordered additional development, including obtaining an addendum VA medical opinion to determine the nature and etiology of any currently present eye disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of hypertension, heart disorder, BPH, cervical spine degenerative disc disease with cervical muscle spasm, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and spondylosis, bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy, bilateral hip degenerative arthritis, right knee DJD, right ankle condition, vision disability (glaucoma and cataracts), and acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that these conditions are not related to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary for the issues of entitlement to an initial compensable rating prior to December 18, 2014, and a rating in excess of 20 percent thereafter for toxoplasmosis infection residuals, as well as service connection for glaucoma. The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for further medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and an addendum opinion to address the etiology of the Veteran's heart disability, including ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, and coronary artery bypass graft. The service connection for both eye disability and heart disability remains in dispute.

The Board denied service connection for mild stage open angle glaucoma, right eye; bilateral combined form cataracts; bilateral epithelial basement membrane dystrophy; bilateral meibomian gland dysfunction; and diabetic retinopathy as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's cause of death was listed as cardiac arrhythmia and coronary artery disease. The VA does not find that his service-connected conditions, including migraine headaches and stroke secondary to migraine headaches, contributed substantially or materially to his death.

The Veteran's bilateral eye disabilities, including congenital right and left eye conditions, were denied service connection as they are considered congenital defects not subject to superimposed disease or injury. The non-congenital right eye disability (exophthalmos) and the non-congenital left eye disability (nuclear sclerotic cataract with reduced visual acuity/blurred vision) were also denied due to lack of evidence linking them to service.

The Veteran's terminal lung cancer and other service-connected conditions are granted, with a total disability rating for lung cancer. Service connection is granted for thyroidectomy scar, hypertension, and right lung transplant with scar. However, service connection is denied for balance issues, left eyelid cancer, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, glaucoma, and bilateral cataracts.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, has been rated as 20 percent disabling. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for this condition.,Separate ratings are sought for urinary and eye disabilities secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II. These issues require additional development including obtaining medical records and clarifying current diagnoses.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in a previous VA medical opinion and for additional development of the claim, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a board-certified ophthalmologist.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of an eye disability, finding that his glaucoma was not incurred or caused by active service.

The Board has found that there was not substantial compliance with the February 2022 remand requests and thus, the case is being returned to obtain Goldmann visual field charts from various dates. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his bilateral glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and cataracts is now pending.