Glaucoma Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and medical records from various providers. The appellant's claim will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right eye disorders, including a corneal scar, traumatic cataract, and traumatic glaucoma, were not incurred in or aggravated by his active military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's glaucoma was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, scheduling a VA examination, and issuing a Supplemental SOC.

The Veteran's glaucoma was rated at 70 percent since June 1, 2015. The claim for a higher rating is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes and eye conditions were not related to his military service, including periods of active duty for training with the Georgia National Guard. The claim was denied.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is found to be at least as likely as not related to active service, and the claim for service connection for this condition is granted. The claims for bilateral eye disability and right knee disability are remanded for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorders, hallux valgus deformity of the left foot, right foot disability, bilateral glaucoma, asthma, and erectile dysfunction are not related to service. The claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's eye disabilities, including glaucoma, cataracts, and ptosis, are not related to his military service or a service-connected disability. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for earlier effective dates for the service connection of various conditions has been dismissed as there is no valid claim to consider due to the finality of previous decisions.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on the basis of exposure to ionizing radiation during active service was dismissed as he withdrew his appeal regarding these issues.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any eye disorder that may be present. The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is being considered as the primary cause or aggravation factor.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current eye disabilities, including bilateral proliferative diabetic retinopathy, bilateral neovascular glaucoma, bilateral pseudophakia, left eye abnormal pupil, and left eye superficial punctate keratitis, are not related to his active service. The in-service left eye injuries did not cause or aggravate any of the currently diagnosed eye disorders.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for glaucoma was denied as there is no credible evidence of an in-service injury or disease, and the current disability does not appear to be related to his active service. The claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder and hepatitis C were also denied.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 10 percent, and his claims for service connection for TBI and suspected glaucoma were denied. The claim for higher evaluation of the lumbar spine disability was not granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete verification of the Veteran's exposure to herbicides and ionizing radiation, as well as a need for further examination regarding his claimed conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's disabilities of the eyes, including Fuchs heterochromic uveitis and iridocyclitis (Fuchs), complications of glaucoma, cataracts, vitreous degeneration and retinal detachment, as due to exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective June 10, 2014. The Board finds that a higher rating of 70 percent is warranted for his PTSD due to symptoms such as suicidal ideation and near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA eye examination and dose estimate of ionizing radiation exposure during service. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for retained shell fragments in his left leg and foot, as well as an eye disability to include glaucoma. The issues of bilateral hearing loss disability and pseudofolliculitis barbae remain pending.