Glaucoma decisions — 2004

The veteran's disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of January 24, 2001 for his nonservice-connected disability pension benefits due to a lack of evidence showing permanent and total disability prior to that date.

The Board has granted service connection for supraventricular tachycardia and increased the disability rating for hypertension to 10 percent. The issues of entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for coronary artery disease, increased evaluation for degenerative joint disease of the back, and increased evaluations for glaucoma are pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for glaucoma of the eye, finding that the preservice condition existed prior to service and did not undergo a chronic increase in severity beyond natural progression during service.

The Board is remanding the case to the RO for further development and consideration of whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for glaucoma.

The veteran's claim for special monthly pension benefits based on the need for regular aid and attendance or at the housebound rate is being remanded due to incomplete information in his claims file, including a missing page of an examination report. The RO must request that he submit this missing page and obtain all pertinent treatment records.

The veteran's disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension on account of need for aid and attendance or being housebound.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hypertension and glaucoma due to incomplete medical records, lack of VA examinations, and other procedural issues.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for glaucoma, finding no positive association between exposure to Agent Orange and the development of glaucoma. The Board also found that there was insufficient evidence to establish a secondary service connection due to diabetes mellitus.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and evaluation of his left eye disability, specifically glaucoma. The RO will determine if the veteran is entitled to a higher evaluation under specific VA rating criteria.

The Board finds that the veteran does not have a bilateral eye disability, to include glaucoma and cataracts, which is shown by the competent evidence to be related to his active service or to any period of active duty for training certified by the service department.

The Board found no evidence of glaucoma in service and concluded that the veteran's current condition is not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, including benign prostatic hyperplasia, defective vision (cataracts and glaucoma), cardiovascular disability, and arthritis, were not incurred or aggravated during his active military service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right eye injury is being remanded due to the need for further development under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.