Glaucoma Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and glaucoma were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides. The preponderance of the evidence shows that these conditions are unrelated to his military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an effective date prior to June 9, 2009, for the service-connected disabilities listed on the title page. The Board has dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been caused by herbicide exposure. His skin disorder, glaucoma, lung disorder (COPD and interstitial lung disease), and sinusitis are not among the listed diseases eligible for presumptive service connection due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's normal tension glaucoma disability is not related to service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for glaucoma, dense paracentral scotoma of the left eye, and allergic rhinitis have been denied. The Board found that there is no current diagnosis of glaucoma or any other disability related to these conditions. The Veteran's left eye scotoma resulted in a 20/15 vision with an average contraction of 54 degrees in his visual field, which did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. His allergic rhinitis was characterized by three to six non-incapacitating episodes per year of sinusitis without any incapacitating episodes requiring prolonged antibiotic treatment.

The Board found that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding that the Veteran's primary open-angle glaucoma was caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left and right eye disabilities, diagnosed as cataracts, glaucoma, and pseudophakia, did not begin during or as a result of his military service.

The Veteran's varicose veins of the right and left legs are currently rated at 10 percent each, with no higher ratings warranted based on current symptoms.,The Veteran's glaucoma is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses for eye services on February 28, 2013 were not reimbursable because the treatment was not authorized by VA and did not meet the criteria for emergency services.

The Veteran's Sjogren's disease with dry mouth and eyes is rated at 30 percent, effective October 18, 2006. The Board found that the current rating adequately compensates him for his disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral glaucoma did not begin during and was not otherwise caused by his military service, including exposure to herbicide agents; his bilateral glaucoma was not caused by and has not been aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's glaucoma is not related to service or his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's lumbar spine strain with degenerative changes was rated at 20 percent prior to October 1, 2009 and is currently rated at 10 percent since that date.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy has been rated at 10 percent since January 18, 2017.,The Veteran's glaucoma of the right eye was initially rated at 10 percent and remains at this level.

The Board has granted a separate 10 percent evaluation for the Veteran's right eye open-angle glaucoma, finding that it is related to his service-connected right eye disability. The main issue of an increased rating for residuals of retinal detachment remains under consideration.

The Veteran's hypertension is found to be caused by his service-connected PTSD.,Glaucoma is not found to be proximately due to or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. However, it is as likely as not that glaucoma was caused by his service-connected hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's eye disability, including glaucoma and cataracts, is not related to his active duty service or any service-connected condition, including his diabetes mellitus. Therefore, the claim for secondary service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 20 percent for his glaucoma disability is being remanded due to incomplete medical records. The VA will attempt to obtain the complete records from July 2013 to the time of the Veteran's death in August 2016.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's glaucoma and hypertension are not related to his military service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a videoconference hearing and his notice of disagreement regarding the rating assigned for left foot hammertoes. The appeal is now pending before the Board.

The Veteran's left eye disability has been manifested by correctable diplopia, with average concentric contraction of field vision of 37 and 38 degrees in the left eye. The effective corrected distant visual acuity is 20/50 at worst in the left eye with normal visual acuity of 20/40 or better in the right eye. As such, a rating in excess of 10 percent is not warranted.