The Board denied a compensable rating for proliferative diabetic retinopathy as the Veteran does not have any visual impairment caused by his service-connected condition, and the evidence supports that the visual impairment is due to vascular occlusions rather than diabetic retinopathy.
The deciding factor: The most probative medical opinion found no causal link between the Veteran's service-connected diabetic retinopathy and his visual impairment or incapacitating episodes.
- Claimed conditions
- Proliferative diabetic retinopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 18, 2018
- Citation
- 18136394
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18136394.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial separate compensable rating for bilateral cataracts with retinopathy prior to September 6, 2017 and a rating in excess of 30 percent for bilateral cataracts with retinopathy from September 6, 2017 due to incomplete records and the need for additional examinations.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for additional left eye disabilities resulting from VA medical and surgical treatment from November 2007 to August 2008, finding that the Veteran's conditions were not caused by or a result of VA care.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing certificate is granted. The special home adaptation grant claim is denied as moot.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's bilateral eye disabilities, including proliferative diabetic retinopathy, juxtafoval cystoid macular edema, and cataracts, have been rated at 20 percent since August 8, 2008.
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