Glaucoma decisions — 2024

The Veteran is granted TDIU for the period from October 17, 2017 to April 25, 2022 due to his service-connected eye disability and associated insomnia disorder and migraines.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, multiple keloids, bilateral pes planus, a right foot condition, diabetes, a right quadriceps injury, bilateral open angle glaucoma, and hypertension. The evidence does not establish a link between these conditions and active service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for low back degenerative disc disease, dry eyes as secondary to right eye pterygium, preglaucoma as secondary to right eye pterygium, and a compensable rating for right eye pterygium due to duty-to-assist errors in obtaining adequate opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's conditions and service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on all issues except tinnitus have been dismissed due to withdrawal of the claims by the Veteran. The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's service connection claims for back impairment, PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and heart impairment have been granted. The claim for psychiatric impairment other than PTSD is dismissed as part of the grant of service connection for PTSD. Service connection has also been granted for bilateral glaucoma due to in-service eye injury but not secondary to cataracts. The issue of service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's glaucoma disability. The Veteran claims that VA's prescription of brimonidine caused his additional worsening of glaucoma, leading to poor compliance and allergic conjunctivitis.

The Veteran has been unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of his service-connected disabilities since December 21, 2013. The Board grants TDIU from December 21, 2013 to July 26, 2018.

The Board has decided to remand the claim for total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to a reasonable possibility that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities could prevent him from securing or maintaining gainful employment prior to May 12, 2020.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, psychiatric disorders (including PTSD), bilateral cataracts, bilateral glaucoma, and hearing loss were denied. The Veteran's claim for stomach disability was also denied.

The Veteran's foot ulcers and kidney disability are not related to his active service, as there is no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after separation from service. The back disability was productive of forward flexion greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees.,There is insufficient evidence to establish a connection between the Veteran's kidney disability and his active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for loss of vision and open angle glaucoma, finding no direct evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's glaucoma is at least as likely as not related to an in-service event, injury, or illness and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an incomplete VA opinion regarding service connection for glaucoma. The examiner did not address significant evidence from service records.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for angle-closure glaucoma as secondary to diabetes mellitus type II was dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's bilateral glaucoma requires regular aid and attendance, leading to the grant of SMC based on this need.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral glaucoma, multiple bilateral renal cysts, and sleep apnea due to a lack of VA medical opinions addressing the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for angle recession glaucoma, finding that the Veteran's current condition is more likely than not a direct result of an injury to his head during basic training.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral glaucoma is related to his active service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied a compensable evaluation for the Veteran's right eye disability and has remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claims for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant were denied as he does not meet the eligibility criteria due to his service-connected disabilities.