The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right eye disorder, finding that his amblyopia was a congenital defect and not related to service. The cataracts and retinopathy were found to be unrelated to active duty.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner determined that the Veteran’s pre-existing amblyopia did not worsen during service and that any current eye conditions (cataracts, retinopathy) are not causally related to his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- right eye amblyopia, right eye cataract, right eye retinopathy
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19194194
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,820 · Granted: 26% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19194194.
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 Veteran's claims for increased ratings and SMC have been remanded due to regulatory changes affecting the rating of eyes on May 13, 2018. The AOJ is instructed to consider both old and new criteria for rating eye disabilities.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service connection claim for tinnitus is granted. Claims for right eye cataract, foot pain, lung cancer, hypertension, heart disability, PVD and bilateral iliac artery stents, interstitial lung disease, COPD, and benign prostate condition are denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his presumed exposure at Camp Lejeune.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to provide proper notice of the Veteran's right to a hearing before the AOJ prior to the April 2021 rating decision on appeal.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for left and right eye conditions due to a lack of substantial compliance with a previous remand.
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