The Board found that the preponderance of the evidence does not demonstrate a current disability manifested by diabetic retinopathy or that the veteran's currently diagnosed glaucoma was caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence showing a relationship between the veteran's eye disorder and his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and the veteran's lay opinion lacks probative value.
- Claimed conditions
- eye disorder, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 11, 2008
- Citation
- 0812108
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board denied an effective date prior to April 11, 2013, for the award of service connection for diabetic retinopathy and grade 2+ anterior vacuoles due to a lack of evidence indicating an intent to apply for benefits or communication related to these conditions before that date.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for glaucoma and macular degeneration, finding that the evidence did not support a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, headaches, and a psychiatric disorder. The evaluation in excess of 10 percent for the skin disability was also denied.
- Partly granted
The Board granted reconsideration of the issues of entitlement to service connection for basal cell carcinoma, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and bilateral upper and lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The claims for these conditions were previously denied but are now being readjudicated due to new evidence.
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