The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral macular degeneration, which was previously denied. The Board also found that the disability first manifested during active duty.
The deciding factor: The VA staff ophthalmologist provided a statement indicating that the veteran's bilateral macular degeneration originated during his period of active service and did not exist prior to entry into service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral macular degeneration
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 21, 2002
- Citation
- 0202640
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0202640.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in a previous VA examiner's opinion regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral macular degeneration pre-existed service and was aggravated by military service. The case is now pending further clarification from an appropriate medical professional.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) for his service-connected bilateral focal chorioretinitis, bilateral optic neuritis, peripheral retinal degeneration, bilateral macular degeneration, and bilateral optic neuropathy, as well as PTSD with unspecified neurocognitive disorder and TBI.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for eye disability, including bilateral exotropia, macular degeneration, cataracts, dry eye syndrome, and pinguecula, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were caused by or related to the Veteran's military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral macular degeneration and photophobia as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.
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