The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral eye disabilities, including congenital conditions and age-related degeneration, are not service-connected as they did not develop during active duty or due to a superimposed injury. The Veteran's claims for secondary service connection based on his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension have also been denied.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's eye disorders were congenital in nature and did not meet the criteria for service connection as they preexisted active duty and were not aggravated by any superimposed disease or injury during service. The secondary service connection claim was also denied due to lack of evidence showing aggravation.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Eye Disability, Left Eye Nuclear Cataract, Right Eye Pseudophakia, Bilateral Regular Astigmatism, Bilateral Presbyopia, Bilateral Hypermetropia, Bilateral Congenital Tilted Optic Nerve, Right Eye Retinal Hole
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 23, 2023
- Citation
- 23011278
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 23011278.
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: Denied
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is rated as non-compensable.,His acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress, is rated at 50 percent.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a need for a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral eye disability is related to in-service toxic exposure risk activities other than herbicide exposure.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a bilateral eye disability, both of which are found to be proximately due to the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities and denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD with alcohol use disorder.
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