The Board remands the claim for service connection for keratoconus to ensure an adequate examination is conducted, as the previous opinion did not adequately address whether the Veteran's pre-existing condition was aggravated by his active duty service.
The deciding factor: The examiner's previous opinion was inadequate because it did not explain why repetitive rubbing of the eyes could worsen keratoconus and failed to address the Veteran's contentions regarding environmental exposures during field training exercises.
- Claimed conditions
- keratoconus
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 6, 2025
- Citation
- A25050218
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for keratoconus, as the evidence did not support a rating higher than 40 percent.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for keratoconus was dismissed due to the untimely filing of the notice of disagreement.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for keratoconus, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran and finding that it is at least as likely as not related to in-service environmental exposures.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an additional VA examination to address whether the Veteran's eye condition was due to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or a similar instance of fault on the part of VA.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.