The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the severity of the Veteran's eye disabilities, the etiology of her visual field defects and headaches, and whether she is entitled to a compensable rating prior to February 21, 2018, and in excess of 30 percent thereafter for iritis of the right eye, chorioretinal scar of the right eye, and angle closure glaucoma, to include bilateral dry eye syndrome.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the opinions provided by the VA examiner were inadequate and requested an addendum opinion from an optometrist or ophthalmologist to address the nature and severity of the Veteran's eye disability throughout the appeal period stemming from March 2015, as well as her headaches and visual field defects.
- Claimed conditions
- iritis of the right eye, chorioretinal scar of the right eye, angle closure glaucoma, bilateral dry eye syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 16, 2023
- Citation
- 23016001
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 23016001.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral dry eye syndrome is rated at a 20 percent rating, but no higher. The disability requires treatment with artificial tears and meets the criteria for a bilateral disorder of the lacrimal apparatus under Diagnostic Code 6099-6025.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral dry eye syndrome, finding that there is not a causal relationship between his current condition and his military service. The evidence does not support a nexus to in-service exposures.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate eye examination and new evidence received since the last decision.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of bilateral dry eye syndrome, finding that there is no medical evidence to support a link between his current condition and his active military service.
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