The Veteran is seeking service connection for additional eye disabilities, including cataracts and macular drusen, which he believes are related to his service-connected bilateral pterygium. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an opinion on the relationship between the service-connected condition and the claimed additional disorders.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's right eye disability may be secondary or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral pterygium, but this needs further clarification from medical examination and opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- Right eye cataracts, Macular drusen
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 19, 2010
- Citation
- 1039029
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 1039029.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 40 percent for the Veteran's eye condition, based on visual impairment in both eyes.
- Denied
The Veteran's right eye cataracts and amblyopia are currently rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum rating available under VA regulations. The Board found that a higher rating was not warranted based on the current evidence.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right eye injury, finding that there is no credible evidence to support his assertion of such an injury during service. The current cataracts in both eyes are determined to be age-related and not related to any incident or condition during service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development of the Veteran's service records and Social Security Administration records, as well as obtaining private treatment records from UPMC Altoona. The claims will be re-adjudicated based on this new evidence.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.