The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's current eye disabilities are related to service or preexisted with no superimposed injury during service. The VA must obtain a supplemental opinion from an appropriately qualified examiner.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the VA examiners did not address whether the Veteran's congenital defects were subject to aggravation by service and if any additional eye disabilities are related to service or preexisted with no superimposed injury during service.
- Claimed conditions
- Congenital ptosis, Dry eye syndrome, Cataracts
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 5, 2026
- Citation
- A26020313
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 A26020313.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to address the nature and etiology of the Veteran's primary open angle glaucoma with cataracts, as well as a determination of whether he has a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss for VA compensation purposes. The case is being remanded to allow for these determinations.
- Granted
The Veteran's post-operative cataracts with pseudophakia and vitreous degeneration are rated at 50 percent, effective from the date of the August 2024 rating decision. The separate rating for dry eye syndrome is also granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for moderate chronic bilateral dry eye syndrome and a rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee degenerative arthritis was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings, but also noted errors in obtaining relevant private treatment records and remanded to obtain these records.
- Granted
The Veteran's cataracts are rated at a 10 percent rating, and he is granted a separate 20 percent rating for bilateral dry eye syndrome and meibomian gland dysfunction. The decision also notes that the Veteran has not had any incapacitating episodes in the past year.
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