Glaucoma Board decisions

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, tinea pedis, impotence, glaucoma, and peripheral neuropathy of both upper and lower extremities. The decision also found that severance of service connection for hypertension was not proper.

The April 1997 rating decision granting a 100% rating for bilateral glaucoma was found to be clearly and unmistakably erroneous. The veteran's claim of entitlement to dependents' educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 is denied due to the absence of a permanent total service-connected disability. The veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status is also denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, narcolepsy, hypertension, ocular hypertension (claimed as glaucoma), a left below-the-knee amputation, and peripheral neuropathy. The veteran's leg ulcers secondary to diabetes mellitus claim was withdrawn.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further VA examinations and opinions to clarify the nature and extent of his service-connected conditions, including glaucoma and degenerative joint disease of the feet. The case will be reconsidered after these additional actions.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for glaucoma, finding that it was not incurred or aggravated during service and is not related to Agent Orange exposure. The Board also found no evidence of a secondary relationship between his glaucoma and his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The veteran's claims for service connection for compression fracture of the lumbosacral spine at L5, status post scleral buckles/bilateral retinal detachment/diplopia, glaucoma, and visual impairment have all been denied as not related to active service or service-connected disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left eye optic atrophy with macular degeneration and post-operative residuals of a laminectomy. The claim for an increased rating for left pyeloplasty with hydronephrosis is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a detailed employment history from the veteran and scheduling him for appropriate VA examination(s) to determine his employability given his non-service-connected disabilities.

The veteran seeks compensation benefits under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for complications from surgery to his left eye, which he claims were caused by improper and/or negligent treatment by VA medical personnel.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining records of his reserve service and a medical examination. The claims will be reconsidered after this development.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder and concluded that his hypertension, glaucoma, conditions leading to two strokes, and any potential acquired psychiatric disorder are not related to service. As such, these claims were denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for heart disorder, glaucoma, back disorder, and kidney disorder, all of which were found to be not incurred or aggravated during his active duty service.

The Board found that the evidence submitted since the September 2001 rating decision, which denied service connection for glaucoma, is not new and material. Therefore, the claim may not be reopened.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for glaucoma, open angle, bilateral, and service connection for peripheral neuropathy are all denied. The veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable under VA regulations. Service connection for glaucoma, open angle, bilateral was not established due to lack of a current diagnosis or causal relationship to the service-connected diabetes mellitus. Service connection for peripheral neuropathy was also not established because there is no competent evidence demonstrating its secondary nature to the service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The veteran's claims for service connection for glaucoma and anxiety disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and clarifying circumstances of any eye evaluations or mental health treatment during service.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral eye disability was evaluated at various levels of severity prior to September 1, 2005. The Board found that the current evaluation did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran is seeking service connection for a left eye disability that developed and worsened as a result of his service-connected right eye disability. The case is being remanded to obtain an opinion on the relationship between the veteran's left eye disorders and his service-connected right eye disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for cervical spondylosis and glaucoma, as well as his request for a temporary total rating based on convalescence. The claim for individual unemployability was deferred.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C, a heart condition with hypertension, memory loss with speech problems, and glaucoma. The evidence does not support current diagnoses of these conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's traumatic glaucoma of the left eye resulted in an average concentric contraction of visual field to no less than 26.75 degrees, which does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.