The Board found that the veteran's pre-existing eye disorders did not undergo an increase in disability or were otherwise aggravated by military service.
The deciding factor: The examiner concluded that the veteran's optic atrophy and strabismus could possibly have resulted from sinus surgery techniques in 1943, but it would be unusual for both eyes to progressively worsen over the past decade.
- Claimed conditions
- Optic Atrophy, Strabismus, Bilateral Compound Astigmatism
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 30, 2004
- Citation
- 0431736
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 0431736.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for generalized anxiety disorder was previously denied in 1959. The Board has reopened the claim and remanded it for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a bilateral eye disability, including optic atrophy, as it was determined to be due to a congenital defect (Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy) that pre-existed service and is not related to the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II with diabetic retinopathy and cataracts.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the Veteran's diagnosed LHON and its relationship to service-connected diabetes mellitus and herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for optic atrophy of the left eye was denied as his visual acuity in the right eye is sufficient to warrant a 30 percent rating, and there are no other issues or conditions involved.
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