The Board denied service connection for refractive error and bilateral pseudophakia as there was no evidence of a disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by active military service.
The deciding factor: Service treatment records did not show any cataracts or pseudophakia during the Veteran's service, and the gap between service and the onset of these conditions is significant.
- Claimed conditions
- Refractive error, Bilateral pseudophakia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 18, 2018
- Citation
- 18136087
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 18136087.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's bilateral pseudophakia, cystoid Macular edema, right eye, and macular pucker, right eye were rated at 30 percent due to visual impairment. The evidence did not show any incapacitating episodes or other issues warranting a higher rating.
- Denied
The Veteran's service connection claim for a bilateral eye disorder, including vision loss, is denied as refractive error of the eyes is not considered a disability for which service connection can be granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right eye disability, including a corneal abrasion from service and current conditions like refractive error, presbyopia, mild cataracts, and blepharitis, is being remanded for further evaluation. The TDIU claim is also remanded due to its interdependence with the service connection issue.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral eye disability, secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II with diabetic retinopathy. The decision is based on medical opinions that attribute the Veteran's current eye disabilities to his service-connected DM and diabetic retinopathy.
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