The Board granted service connection for right eye ischemic optic neuropathy, which is caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected hypertension. The appeal was remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding other eye disorders and toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) examinations.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on a private treatment record from April 2007 that linked right eye ischemic optic neuropathy to high blood pressure, which is service-connected. The VA examiner's opinion in August 2024 did not provide sufficient rationale for the conclusion regarding aggravation.
- Claimed conditions
- right eye ischemic optic neuropathy, bilateral glaucoma, blepharitis, bilateral cataracts, choroidal nevus of the right eye, blurry vision, bilateral paving-stone degeneration, bilateral hypertensive retinopathy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 17, 2025
- Citation
- A25053099
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for eye conditions, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction and left eye retinopathy. However, it denied increased ratings for multiple peripheral neuropathies, hypertension, and status post tympanoplasty.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for dermatochalasis, meibomian gland dysfunction, and blepharitis. The claims for lumbosacral strain, left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), right shoulder tendinopathy, diabetes, and prostate cancer with urinary incontinence status-post prostatectomy were remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral cataracts, dry eye syndrome, allergic conjunctivitis, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy, and atrial fibrillation as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or caused by an in-service event.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including a bilateral eye disability and cardiovascular conditions, based on the Veteran's in-service occupational exposures.
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