The Board has found that the Veteran's right eye disability, currently diagnosed as dry eye syndrome, is related to his service due to presumptive toxic exposure. However, a remand is required to obtain an updated medical opinion based on accurate factual information and consideration of all submitted evidence.
The deciding factor: The previous VA examiner's opinion was based on inaccurate factual premises regarding the Veteran's exposure history, which rendered it without probative value.
- Claimed conditions
- dry eye syndrome, myopia, astigmatism, papillary/allergic conjunctivitis, corneal opacity
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 24, 2023
- Citation
- 23004361
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 23004361.
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.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeal of entitlement to service connection for dry eye syndrome claimed as visual impairment, including blurry vision, blindness, double vision due to procedural error. The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea was denied because there is no evidence of a current diagnosis of sleep apnea.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for OSA is denied as his sleep apnea has not been manifested by persistent daytime hypersomnolence or required use of a breathing assistance device such as a CPAP machine.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for dry eye syndrome and an increased rating for left knee disability are remanded due to procedural errors in the adjudication process.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's dry eye syndrome and conjunctivitis, including any potential service connection or toxic exposure.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all the listed conditions in April 2024 and March 2025, thus dismissing the appeal.
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