The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his bilateral diabetic retinopathy based on visual acuity findings that did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.
The deciding factor: The January 2024 VA examination found no evidence of incapacitating episodes or other visual impairment due to diabetic retinopathy, and the Veteran's visual acuity was consistently measured as 20/50 in one eye and 20/30 in the other, which does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral diabetic retinopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25029804
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II (DMII), hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, bilateral diabetic retinopathy, and bilateral upper and lower diabetic peripheral neuropathy due to insufficient evidence regarding toxic exposures during military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded the veteran's claims for service connection of vision disorders and total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU). The Board found that further medical opinions are needed to adequately address the veteran's conditions.
- Partly granted
The veteran's claim for service connection for myeloma cancer was denied. The veteran's request for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus type II was denied, but the request for a 60 percent rating for bilateral diabetic retinopathy with macula edema was granted. The issues of hypertension and total disability rating based on individual unemployability were remanded.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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