The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral pterygium, finding that his loss of visual acuity was due to his nonservice-connected cataracts and not his service-connected pterygium.
The deciding factor: The June 2019 VA examination revealed that the Veteran's bilateral pterygium is not the cause of his decreased visual acuity but rather his nonservice-connected cataracts are the cause of his decreased visual acuity.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral pterygium, Nonservice-connected cataracts
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 23, 2021
- Citation
- 21076295
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 21076295.
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 Veteran's service-connected bilateral pterygium is denied for a compensable rating prior to October 11, 2015 and for any increased rating from that date.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the RO failing to address his claims for a higher rating and whether his astigmatism and diplopia are related to his service-connected bilateral pterygium. The case will be returned for further examination.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected bilateral pterygium, dry eye syndrome, and photophobia are granted a 10 percent disability rating effective October 24, 2016.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further evaluation of his bilateral pterygium and TDIU claim. The Board requests visual field testing to determine the current severity of his service-connected pterygium, and a VA examination to assess the impact of all service-connected disabilities on employment.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.