The Board found that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral macular degeneration, but denied the claim on the merits due to lack of clear and unmistakable evidence showing aggravation during service. The veteran's pre-existing condition was considered congenital or developmental.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence demonstrating that the veteran's macular degeneration was aggravated by active service, as it existed prior to entry into service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral macular degeneration
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 30, 2003
- Citation
- 0301858
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 175 · Granted: 26% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0301858.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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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