The Veteran's appeal for service connection of his eye disability is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if there are residuals of the in-service PRK surgery that are more than the usual effects of the surgery and consider his testimony regarding post-surgery symptoms.
The deciding factor: The Board finds the previous opinion inadequate as it did not address the Veteran's testimony about post-surgery symptoms, such as residual pain and dry eyes after the in-service PRK surgery.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral dry eye syndrome, Glaucoma suspect
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 25, 2022
- Citation
- 22003880
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 22003880.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for an increased rating for eye disability and service connection for hypotension to correct duty to assist errors.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for several service-connected conditions and granted service connection for a few others, including tinea pedis, bilateral dry eye syndrome, right shoulder disability, cervical spine disability, left knee disability (secondary), right knee disability (secondary), and right ankle disability (secondary).
- Partly granted
The Board denied a rating greater than 30 percent for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder but granted increased ratings of 20 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy and bilateral dry eye syndrome.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, left knee osteoarthritis, and left ankle sprain, while denying service connection for hypertension. The Board also granted an initial 20% rating for bilateral dry eye syndrome but denied compensable ratings for bilateral pinguecula and a right ring finger disability.
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