Glaucoma decisions — 2026

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, including degenerative disc disease, sinusitis, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), bilateral eye disabilities, including glaucoma, and sinus bronchial syndrome have been granted. The Veteran's allergic rhinitis has also been granted with an initial 10% rating.,The Veteran's skin cancer of the right leg, PTSD, GERD, and bilateral hearing loss claims remain denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for Graves' disease, Paget's disease, and bilateral glaucoma due to a deficiency in the record. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for impaired fasting glucose (pre-diabetes).

The Veteran's eligibility for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) is being remanded due to a failure by the AOJ to evaluate whether participation in PCAFC would be in the best interest of the Veteran. The AOJ must obtain an opinion from a clinician regarding this issue.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy, diabetes mellitus type II, and chronic sinusitis, prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current evidence of hearing impairment meeting VA criteria.,Glaucoma is granted as secondary to the service-connected asthma, with the condition aggravated by steroid use.

The Veteran's appeal of the issues related to migraines and bilateral cataracts with primary open angle glaucoma and vitreous floaters prior to February 13, 2025 is dismissed due to previous adjudications.,The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates for left knee and right knee disabilities are dismissed due to previous adjudications.,The Veteran's appeal of the TDIU claim prior to June 11, 2024 is dismissed as moot.,The Veteran's appeal regarding an increased disability rating for a right ankle condition is remanded.,The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for DEA is remanded.,The Veteran's appeal of service connection for cardiomyopathy with supraventricular arrhythmia is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the appellant's bilateral eye disability, including her current diagnoses and their connection to service.

The Veteran's appeal is related to the effective dates for SMC benefits. The Board has determined that these issues are remanded due to insufficient information regarding his employment status prior to August 10, 2022.,The Veteran was granted SMC based on aid and attendance as of May 4, 2018, and SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114, subsection (p) and 38 C.F.R. § 3.350(f)(3) at the rate intermediate between subsection (l) and subsection (m) based on bilateral nuclear contact with primary open-angle glaucoma as of May 4, 2018. The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date is denied.,The Veteran was granted SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114, subsection (p) and 38 C.F.R. § 3.350(f)(3) at the rate equal to subsection (m) with additional disability of obstructive sleep apnea as of August 10, 2022. The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral eye disability, including glaucoma and cataracts, is due to his service-connected residuals of a right eye foreign body. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for a TERA examination and opinions to determine if the Veteran's bilateral glaucoma is related to his in-service herbicide exposure or other toxic exposures, as well as whether any additional eye disability stemming from VA treatment is due to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, glaucoma, COPD, allergic rhinitis, and a neck disorder were denied. The Board found no current disability in each case.

The Veteran's claim for enrollment in the PCAFC program is being remanded due to an inadequate decision from the AOJ. The Board finds that the eligibility criteria were not properly considered, and additional evidence should be evaluated.

The Board has granted service connection for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and bilateral glaucoma, both of which are presumed to be related to exposure to herbicide agents during the Veteran's service in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of left hip disability, right hip disability, glaucoma, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The claims for these conditions are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and determine their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left dry eye syndrome, as well as glaucoma in both eyes, are being remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran reported that his VA examination was cancelled because the examiner tested positive for COVID-19.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral eye disability, including diabetic retinopathy with open angle glaucoma and diabetic cortical cataracts, is currently rated as 20 percent for the period prior to March 2, 2016, and 50 percent thereafter. The appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's left eye angle recession glaucoma, cataracts, and left choroidal rupture are not due to an in-service event or disease. The Veteran's PTSD with associated depression does not result in occupational and social impairment warranting a higher evaluation.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's glaucoma is not service-connected due to lack of exposure to mustard gas or Lewisite. The case is being remanded for a medical opinion on whether his glaucoma is related to his reported exposure to tear gas during basic training.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for dry eye syndrome as proximately due to his service-connected tinnitus. The claims for cataracts, primary open-angle glaucoma, pinguecula, and corneal arcus are denied. The urticaria claim is remanded for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding several claims, including earlier effective dates and ratings for arteriosclerotic heart disease, open angle glaucoma, major depressive disorder, TDIU, DEA, SMC, and a rating increase. The Board dismissed these issues as the Veteran requested withdrawal.