Glaucoma decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for acute, subacute or old myocardial infarction and arteriosclerotic heart disease status post artery bypass graft, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type 2, with diabetic retinopathy, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, and erectile dysfunction, and bilateral open angle glaucoma.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date of service connection for left thumb tendonitis and a higher initial disability rating for bilateral glaucoma, and remanded several other claims for further development.

The Board granted service connection for cervical spine degenerative arthritis, right shoulder acromioclavicular and glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis, left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, and right knee joint osteoarthritis, as well as a separate 20% rating for erectile dysfunction. The Board denied an increased disability rating higher than 20 percent for diabetes mellitus type II but granted service connection for bilateral primary open-angle glaucoma secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes.

The appeal of service connection for bilateral glaucoma was dismissed due to an impermissible concurrent election.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded claims for left eye glaucoma, right hip arthritis, prostate cancer, a right foot disability, urticaria, chronic pain of the bilateral lower extremities, diabetes mellitus, type 2 (DMII), and trigeminal neuralgia.

The Board denied increased ratings for psoriasis and knee disabilities but granted a 60% rating from May 4, 2022, and 20% ratings from March 30, 2022, to May 4, 2022, for the Veteran's service-connected conditions.

The Board granted service connection for osteoradionecrosis, bilateral eye disability (including cataracts and glaucoma), and bilateral hearing loss. It also granted a 10% rating for hypertension, a 50% rating for chronic sinusitis with rhinitis, and a 100% rating for lymphedema. The Board denied compensable ratings for the residuals of squamous cell carcinoma of the left tonsil and neck.

The Board remands the claims for a higher rating for GERD, service connection for diabetes, glaucoma, sinusitis, and obstructive sleep apnea due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their relationship to the Veteran's service, including his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board granted service connection for hypertension and right eye central retinal artery occlusion with neovascular glaucoma, both related to the Veteran's presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Vietnam.

The claims for service connection for left eye injury, glaucoma in the left eye associated with left eye injury, and lower back condition have been reopened. The claim for bilateral hearing condition has also been remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and an earlier effective date, as the maximum schedular rating of 100 percent for PTSD with persistent depressive disorder and traumatic brain injury has been in effect since April 19, 2019.

The Board granted an effective date of February 25, 2021, for the award of service connection for primary open angle glaucoma to include cystoid macular degeneration, right eye.

The Board remands the claim for service connection of bilateral glaucoma with pain to obtain additional evidence, including Social Security Administration records and an addendum medical opinion.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral glaucoma, finding that the Veteran's condition is related to his military service. The issue of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was remanded for further development.