The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for an eye condition, including bilateral macular degeneration. The evidence shows that the preexisting macular degeneration was not aggravated by service and is considered a constitutional or developmental abnormality.
The deciding factor: The preexisting macular degeneration did not undergo any permanent increase in severity during service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral macular degeneration, refractive error
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 1, 2002
- Citation
- 0213353
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 0213353.
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.
- 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 an eye disorder, including refractive error, as the evidence did not support a causal relationship between the Veteran's current condition and his active service.
- 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.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a vision disability, including glaucoma, astigmatism, refractive error, and presbyopia. The Board found that these conditions began during his active duty service.
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