The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and SMC have been remanded due to regulatory changes affecting the rating of eyes on May 13, 2018. The AOJ is instructed to consider both old and new criteria for rating eye disabilities.
The deciding factor: Regulatory changes affected the rating of the Veteran's service-connected open angle glaucoma, requiring consideration under both old and new criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- open angle glaucoma, traumatic glaucoma, nuclear sclerosis, right eye cataract
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 24, 2026
- Citation
- A26038425
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 A26038425.
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 decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's vision problems, which may be related to his service-connected conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected open angle glaucoma is granted. The claim for an increased rating for COPD remains denied, as the severity of his condition does not warrant a higher than 30 percent rating. The Veteran's hypertension is now rated at 10 percent, but no higher.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claim for tinnitus is granted. Claims for right eye cataract, foot pain, lung cancer, hypertension, heart disability, PVD and bilateral iliac artery stents, interstitial lung disease, COPD, and benign prostate condition are denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his presumed exposure at Camp Lejeune.
- Denied
The Board denied a rating higher than 30 percent for the Veteran's uveitis with open angle glaucoma and aphakia of the left eye, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating.
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