The Board has granted service connection for loss of vision and chronic blepharitis, finding that these conditions are related to service-connected disabilities. The gastrointestinal disorder claim is denied as there is no currently diagnosed or clinically demonstrated gastrointestinal disability.
The deciding factor: Service connection was established based on the veteran's history of sickle cell thalassemia and other service-connected conditions which contributed to his eye disorders, including loss of vision and chronic blepharitis. The gastrointestinal disorder claim was denied as there is no currently diagnosed or clinically demonstrated gastrointestinal disability.
- Claimed conditions
- sickle cell thalassemia, bilateral retinopathy, macular pucker, primary open angle glaucoma, epiretinal membrane, blepharitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- February 5, 2004
- Citation
- 0403348
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,177 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0403348.
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 found that service connection for primary open angle glaucoma and chronic sinusitis is granted, but the claim of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea secondary to PTSD is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that the Veteran's eye disabilities are related to service, but requires further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's worsening vision in his right eye after a VA surgery was not due to negligence or unforeseeable events, and thus compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is denied.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral pulmonary embolism and an eye disability, including chronic open angle glaucoma, nodular scleritis, blepharitis, and dry eye syndrome. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began during service or are related to in-service events.
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