The Veteran's astigmatism and refractive error were diagnosed during service, but the Board found that these conditions are not compensable as they are congenital or developmental defects.
The deciding factor: Service connection cannot be granted for congenital or developmental defects.
- Claimed conditions
- astigmatism, refractive error
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 14, 2009
- Citation
- 0918249
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 0918249.
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: Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all the listed conditions in April 2024 and March 2025, thus dismissing the appeal.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for left leg scar, right leg scar, and scars on right arm due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran's claims for astigmatism, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and other scars are not granted.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection and rating increases in multiple disabilities, including chronic fatigue syndrome, radiculopathies, refractive error, cervical spine disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability. The Board has dismissed these appeals.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. 1151 due to an alleged missing Notice of Disagreement (NOD) filed in January 2016, which was sent in response to a notification letter dated October 2015.
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