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
- Not verified here — check the original 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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0431736.
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 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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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