The Board denied service connection for cataracts of the right eye, left eye retina injury, and left eye cornea injury due to lack of evidence supporting a direct relationship with service. The veteran's cataracts are attributed to his smoking and diabetes.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner opined that the veteran's cataract was more likely than not due to trauma during service and aggravated by diabetes and smoking, but there is no credible evidence of an injury or abnormality of the retina in service.
- Claimed conditions
- cataracts of the right eye, injury to the retina of the left eye, cataract of the left eye
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 14, 2008
- Citation
- 0823200
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 0823200.
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: Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left and right eye dry eyes, cataracts of the left and right eyes, neuropathy of the left lower extremity, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, left renal arteriovenous malformation, aneurysm, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine, recurrent subluxation of the left knee prior to May 13, 2020, left total knee replacement, disability rating in excess of 60 percent from September 1, 2021, forward for left total knee replacement, DJD of the right knee, right knee instability, burns of the bilateral ankles, linear scar of the left knee, post-surgical tender scars of the left knee, and a total disability rating due to unemployability (TDIU) based upon service-connected disabilities prior to June 14, 2019.
- Whole decision: Granted
Service connection for malaria is denied. The Veteran's claim has been reopened, but service connection cannot be established as there was no evidence of a current disability during or within one year after service.,Service connection for chronic kidney disease is granted. The Veteran's current diagnosis is linked to herbicide agent exposure during service.,Service connection for the heart disability (atherosclerosis of the aorta) is granted. The Veteran has a current diagnosis and there is evidence linking it to herbicide agent exposure.,Service connection for hyperlipidemia is denied. There is no disease or disability listed under VA regulations that corresponds with this condition.,Service connection for asbestosis is denied. There is no evidence of asbestos exposure during service, and the Veteran's claim cannot be granted based on presumptive service connection.,Service connection for chronic constipation (IBS) is denied. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis or sufficient evidence linking it to service.,Service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is denied. There is no evidence of GERD during service and the condition cannot be linked to herbicide agent exposure.,Service connection for cataract of the left eye is denied. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis or sufficient evidence linking it to service.,Service connection for myasthenia gravis and double vision is granted. There is a current diagnosis and evidence linking it to herbicide agent exposure.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to missing VA medical records.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board has dismissed the claim for nonservice-connected pension from July 8, 2019 and after as moot due to the Veteran's service-connected disability rating. The claim is remanded for additional development regarding pension prior to July 8, 2019.
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