The Veteran's retinopathy and cataracts of the right and left eyes have not been productive of muscle dysfunction or incapacitating episodes, resulting in a noncompensable rating.
The deciding factor: Visual acuity was at worst 20/40 bilaterally with an average concentric contraction of 61 degrees in each eye, which does not meet the criteria for any higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.
- Claimed conditions
- retinopathy, cataracts
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- December 26, 2019
- Citation
- 19196229
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 19196229.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cataracts, finding that there was no medical evidence linking the condition to his active service or a service-connected disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal for special monthly pension (SMP) based on the need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status is remanded to ensure that the appellant receives every possible consideration, including a new VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for eye disabilities, to include retinopathy, bilateral nuclear cataracts, bilateral dermatochalasis, dry eye, and pinguecula, as the prior VA medical opinion regarding aggravation was found to be conclusory and lacked necessary medical reasoning.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a left eye disorder, including amblyopia and other conditions, as there was no evidence of aggravation beyond their natural progression during the Veteran's periods of active duty.
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.