The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral pterygium pre-existed service and was aggravated therein, warranting service connection for this condition.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that it is at least as likely as not that the bilateral pterygia were aggravated during his period of active duty service due to environmental conditions in Kuwait Air Force base where he performed aircraft maintenance outdoors in hot, dry, sandy conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- retinopathy, bilateral pterygium, choroidal nevus
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 20, 2015
- Citation
- 1521651
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 1521651.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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: Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection were reopened and granted, with an effective date of January 11, 2008.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further adjudication of the appellant's claims for accrued benefits due to her testimony regarding good cause. The Veteran had pending service connection claims at the time of his death.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral eye condition, including cataracts, retinopathy, and dry eye syndrome, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between her current conditions and her military service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's acquired eye disorders are secondary to his service-connected hepatitis. The Veteran seeks service connection for these conditions, which include cataracts, strabismus amblyopia, choroidal nevus, and pterygium.
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