Glaucoma decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded several claims, including service connection for COPD, heart conditions, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, anemia, gallstones, and glaucoma. The Veteran's exposure to asbestos during service as a boiler technician is conceded.

The Board has denied service connection for glaucoma, white matter disease, dementia, lumbar spondylosis, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The claims are based on presumptive service connection due to exposure to ionizing radiation in service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral open angle glaucoma is caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II. The case needs further development with a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with the appellant's address and a need for further examination. The SMP claim is still pending.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and remanded the claims for esophageal cancer and glaucoma. The issues of entitlement to initial compensable ratings for right ear hearing loss, hypothyroidism, and an initial rating for glaucoma are also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected hypertension is a but-for cause of his glaucoma.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and initial compensable rating for various conditions, including excessive thirst, fatigue, glaucoma eye condition and blurry vision, photophobia bright light, and dry mouth. The decision found that these conditions were not separate disabilities from his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral glaucoma, bilateral cataract, right macula drusen and erectile dysfunction due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The Veteran's major depressive disorder is granted as service connected.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 60 percent since April 29, 2021. The cervical spine and glaucoma claims are denied as secondary to service-connected disabilities. Service connection for a lumbar spine disability remains denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for balance/vestibular disorder, sinusitis (due to nasopharyngeal cancer), and eye disability (bilateral open angle glaucoma and bilateral nuclear cataracts).,Service connection is not granted for any of these conditions as there is no current diagnosis or evidence of functional impairment.

The Veteran's bilateral open-angle glaucoma is currently rated as 10 percent disabling prior to June 10, 2019 and from July 8, 2022. The Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted for these periods. For the period on appeal from June 10, 2019 to July 7, 2022, the Veteran's bilateral open-angle glaucoma warrants an increased rating of at least 40 percent.

The Veteran's eligibility for PCAFC benefits is being remanded due to unclear reasons and lack of adequate notice. The Board will request medical opinions from the CEAT regarding personal care needs, supervision or protection requirements, and need for regular or extensive instruction or supervision.

The Board has remanded the cases for obtaining service treatment records from the Veteran's Air National Guard duty and updated VA treatment records. The issues are related to whether his preexisting bilateral pes planus was aggravated by active service, and if he developed glaucoma during this period.

The Veteran's left eye disability is rated at 20 percent prior to September 15, 2022. The appeal for a higher rating remains pending and additional development is required.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The Board has remanded several issues, including those related to bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as some of the disability evaluations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for mesothelioma is denied.,Service connection granted for glaucoma, psychiatric disability, and respiratory disability. The effective date of the grant of service connection for hypertension is set at June 29, 2021.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal because his June 2022 VA Form 9 was not timely filed, more than one year after the original rating decision and more than 60 days after the SOC.

The Veteran's eye conditions, including diabetic retinopathy and other related conditions like bilateral end stage glaucoma, bilateral optic nerve atrophy, right nuclear cataract, and left pseudophakia, are being remanded for further evaluation due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of his eye disabilities is remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetic retinopathy with open angle glaucoma and diabetic cortical cataracts are currently rated at 50 percent effective March 2, 2016. The Board denied a higher initial rating.