diabetes Eye Problem (cataracts)

[chiefhouse00]

Greetings

I just found out that I have cataracts developing at a rapid rate in both eyes. I'm been complaining out floaters, watering eyes, and poor vision well before I got out of service (well documented medical records). The doc said normally people with diabetes’s get cataracts but I don't have diabetes. I have a follow-up in six months or sooner if needed. Is Cataract Disease rated and what are some of the causes of this disease.?

Happy Thankgiving

Chiefhouse

[vaf]

Absolutely Refile, Always Refile!!!

I'm not the most able person on this board to guide you, but after 13 years of arguing rates and dates with the VA, I can tell you what I would do. Apparently, you've got three issues regarding your eyes: 1) PSC (Posterior Subcapsular Cataracts), 2) A "trace" of nuclear sclerotic cataracts, and 3) Eye trauma

PSC (Bilateral)

1) These are reportedly most often steroid-induced and fairly fast-growing. They also occur as an outcome of diabetes.

2) If your opthamologist could be candid enough with you to render an opinion (preferably written) on how long these typically take to develop, that would give you information on the time frame between when you started taking steroids and when you started noticing problems severe enough that you made an appt. to have your eyes checked. Or you can read about them online, but I'd prefer a Dr.'s letter if I were you.

3) If you started taking steroids before you retired, I would ask for an effective date the first time I mentioned vision problems, either verbally or in writing, to the VA after retirement. If you started taking steroids for a service-connected condition after you retired, I would file a claim for PSC bilateral secondary to meds taken for a service-connected disability, effective the date you started taking any of your steroids. You may also want to file an 1151 claim.

Nuclear Sclerotic Cataracts

1) These are age related and take a long time to grow.

2) I'm not clear on how the VA can "confirm a history" of nuclear sclerotic cataracts but deny a claim due to no evidence of them in your medical files. Where did the history come from?

3) It appears you have what is called "mixed" cataracts - - more than one kind.

4) Get your opthamologist to examine you for sclerotic cataracts, and if they are there (or larger now), you've got new evidence to re-file the claim. I would seek an effective date to when they were first acknowledged by the VA. Just because the word "cataracts" isn't in your file, but a description of them is, that doesn't mean they don't exist. That's like saying a person's blood pressure is 180/104, but the word "hypertension" isn't in the record, therefore, that person doesn't suffer from hypertension. The history you mention must have come from somewhere! You need the initial date of when that history began.

5) Re-file a claim with your opthamologist's findings, add the earliest date in the "history" that the VA confirmed regarding these particular type of cataracts and use it as an effective date of claim. Being age-related, this type of cataract would probably not be considered "service-connected." That having been said, file for it anyway.

TRAUMA

1) What kind of trauma?

2) Did it occur before your retirement?

3) Was it treated at a military medical facility and in your military medical records?

4) Is there any mention of it in your VA records?

5) Was your vision impaired before the trauma? Worse after the trauma, and if so, how soon after?

6) PSC's can also be caused by trauma.

7) I would claim the date you first mentioned vision problems to the VA after your retirement.

Have you undergone an examination from a civilian opthamologist for a second opinion?

[wallyg]

Vicki,

Wonderful post! :D

Probably the best ordered and most useful I have seen in two years.

Very useful.

Keep up the outstanding work.

B)

[chiefhouse00]

Absolutely Refile, Always Refile!!!

I'm not the most able person on this board to guide you, but after 13 years of arguing rates and dates with the VA, I can tell you what I would do. Apparently, you've got three issues regarding your eyes: 1) PSC (Posterior Subcapsular Cataracts), 2) A "trace" of nuclear sclerotic cataracts, and 3) Eye trauma

PSC (Bilateral)

1) These are reportedly most often steroid-induced and fairly fast-growing. They also occur as an outcome of diabetes.

2) If your opthamologist could be candid enough with you to render an opinion (preferably written) on how long these typically take to develop, that would give you information on the time frame between when you started taking steroids and when you started noticing problems severe enough that you made an appt. to have your eyes checked. Or you can read about them online, but I'd prefer a Dr.'s letter if I were you.

3) If you started taking steroids before you retired, I would ask for an effective date the first time I mentioned vision problems, either verbally or in writing, to the VA after retirement. If you started taking steroids for a service-connected condition after you retired, I would file a claim for PSC bilateral secondary to meds taken for a service-connected disability, effective the date you started taking any of your steroids. You may also want to file an 1151 claim.

Nuclear Sclerotic Cataracts

1) These are age related and take a long time to grow.

2) I'm not clear on how the VA can "confirm a history" of nuclear sclerotic cataracts but deny a claim due to no evidence of them in your medical files. Where did the history come from?

3) It appears you have what is called "mixed" cataracts - - more than one kind.

4) Get your opthamologist to examine you for sclerotic cataracts, and if they are there (or larger now), you've got new evidence to re-file the claim. I would seek an effective date to when they were first acknowledged by the VA. Just because the word "cataracts" isn't in your file, but a description of them is, that doesn't mean they don't exist. That's like saying a person's blood pressure is 180/104, but the word "hypertension" isn't in the record, therefore, that person doesn't suffer from hypertension. The history you mention must have come from somewhere! You need the initial date of when that history began.

5) Re-file a claim with your opthamologist's findings, add the earliest date in the "history" that the VA confirmed regarding these particular type of cataracts and use it as an effective date of claim. Being age-related, this type of cataract would probably not be considered "service-connected." That having been said, file for it anyway.

TRAUMA

1) What kind of trauma?

2) Did it occur before your retirement?

3) Was it treated at a military medical facility and in your military medical records?

4) Is there any mention of it in your VA records?

5) Was your vision impaired before the trauma? Worse after the trauma, and if so, how soon after?

6) PSC's can also be caused by trauma.

7) I would claim the date you first mentioned vision problems to the VA after your retirement.

Have you undergone an examination from a civilian opthamologist for a second opinion?

Greetings

In 2000, I was completely new to the VA process and didn't ask many questions about my ratings. Yes, I had and still have eye problems. Thanks to dedicated people like you, I've learn much more about what to do if you believe something needs attention. So, here I am ready to take care of business.

1) Trauma- finger poked in right eye twice, paint thinner and jet fuel spilled in both eyes, corneal abrasion, blurred vision dating back to 1970.

2) All occurred and documented before retirement in 1999.

3) Military medical facilities treated my eye problems before and after retirement.

4) The VA has copies of my military records from 1970 to 1999 which was used for my first claim that was denied in 2000.

5) My vision was 20/20 when I entered the military in 1969. I started having problems in 1970 and before my first trauma event in 1974.

6) My eye problems got much worst after the 1974 eye poking and spilling fuel in my eyes in 1975.

7) This would be my first claim to the VA after my retirement.

This last military ophthalmologist was straight to the point by saying that the type of cataracts I have is growing at a rapid pace and to follow-up in six months or sooner if needed.

Best Regards

Chiefhouse

B)

[vaf]

Everyone here is glad to help. Since this is your first claim, be patient and pace yourself.

You're probably in for a less than pleasant journey through the muck that's called the VA disability rating system. Don't let it get you down. You earned your benefits. Come to this board whenever you feel lost, need information or just need a boost.

The perseverance that got you to the point where you lived to see the day you retired needs to be re-directed into this effort to be your own best advocate post-retirement.

OK, here we go:

1) Get copies of your VA medical records if you don't already have them. Use this link:

http://www.va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/vha-10-5345-fill.pdf

I understand that the VA also has active duty outpatient medical records. Request all of those, too.

Have the copies sent to yourself. Reason would be "VA Claims" Remember to also request any films like CT scans, etc. (they're put on CD). Say you want all records regarding all visits, not just for your eyes.

2) If you were ever hospitalized while active duty, you can obtain records by requesting them through this link:

http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-...al-records.html.

You would want all records for any and all hospitalizations, along with any film that was taken. Again, the reason would be "VA Claims." The less said, the better.

3) Since your cataracts are bilateral, I would base a claim to initial entitlement for cataracts that developed as result of injury from jet fuel spilled in both eyes, then add the poke to your right eye and the corneal abrasion incidents to the mix. Include copies from your medical records referring to your visits to the doctor for these incidents. The effective date would be the day after you retired, since the military treated you for them while you were active duty. Get a letter from your opthamologist that discusses his diagnosis of PSC. If he won't give you one, entries from your medical records will do.

4) As a back-up, I would also claim entitlement for cataracts effective the date you were first prescribed steroids for a service-connected condition. If that was while you were active duty, the effective date would be your first day of retirement. If you were prescribed steroids after your retirement, you still had injuries to your eyes while active duty, and because PSC can occur either from injury or steroid use, it would be very difficult for the VA to definitively determine the exact cause. They're suppose to resolve the benefit of the doubt in your favor, and go with the earlier effective date of the two. That doesn't always happen, but you need to know that's the way it's suppose to happen.

5) Nail down what's going on with your bilateral nuclear sclerosis cataracts. If there was no discussion of them during your visits to the opthamologist about your PSC's, then make another appointment to determine their status. If you had them some years ago, you still do and they've probably grown. Review your records and include any documentation you can find about them. Ask your opthamologist to give you something in writing about them. Again, if he won't, you'll need an office visit for the record, and get a copy of the notes. As I stated previously, file a claim for them with the effective date that coincides with the beginning of the "history" you said the VA confirmed regarding this condition.

6) If you can swing a visit to a civilian opthamologist for an examination and a second opinion, that wouldn't be a bad idea.

7) How's your hearing, did you have an exit hearing test? Do you know your scores? I've yet to meet a 20+ year vet without tinnitus, and I'm in a place where there's an Air Force Base and lots of retirees.

8) In the "firm grasp of the obvious" department:

1) Mail anything you send certified, so you get a confirmation of delivery and a signature.

2) Don't be tempted to mail anything by normal means, they'll deny they received it. I've had them deny receipt of mail when I was holding the certified receipt in my hand while talking to them over the phone!

3) Get a receipt if you hand deliver anything, even if you have to make one up yourself before you leave the house, and just get their signature on it.

4) Don't take no for an answer. Press it as far and as long as you can.

[vaf]

Also, don't forget the possibility of filing an 1151 claim...

[chiefhouse00]

Everyone here is glad to help. Since this is your first claim, be patient and pace yourself.

You're probably in for a less than pleasant journey through the muck that's called the VA disability rating system. Don't let it get you down. You earned your benefits. Come to this board whenever you feel lost, need information or just need a boost.

The perseverance that got you to the point where you lived to see the day you retired needs to be re-directed into this effort to be your own best advocate post-retirement.

OK, here we go:

1) Get copies of your VA medical records if you don't already have them. Use this link:

http://www.va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/vha-10-5345-fill.pdf

I understand that the VA also has active duty outpatient medical records. Request all of those, too.

Have the copies sent to yourself. Reason would be "VA Claims" Remember to also request any films like CT scans, etc. (they're put on CD). Say you want all records regarding all visits, not just for your eyes.

2) If you were ever hospitalized while active duty, you can obtain records by requesting them through this link:

http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-...al-records.html.

You would want all records for any and all hospitalizations, along with any film that was taken. Again, the reason would be "VA Claims." The less said, the better.

3) Since your cataracts are bilateral, I would base a claim to initial entitlement for cataracts that developed as result of injury from jet fuel spilled in both eyes, then add the poke to your right eye and the corneal abrasion incidents to the mix. Include copies from your medical records referring to your visits to the doctor for these incidents. The effective date would be the day after you retired, since the military treated you for them while you were active duty. Get a letter from your opthamologist that discusses his diagnosis of PSC. If he won't give you one, entries from your medical records will do.

4) As a back-up, I would also claim entitlement for cataracts effective the date you were first prescribed steroids for a service-connected condition. If that was while you were active duty, the effective date would be your first day of retirement. If you were prescribed steroids after your retirement, you still had injuries to your eyes while active duty, and because PSC can occur either from injury or steroid use, it would be very difficult for the VA to definitively determine the exact cause. They're suppose to resolve the benefit of the doubt in your favor, and go with the earlier effective date of the two. That doesn't always happen, but you need to know that's the way it's suppose to happen.

5) Nail down what's going on with your bilateral nuclear sclerosis cataracts. If there was no discussion of them during your visits to the opthamologist about your PSC's, then make another appointment to determine their status. If you had them some years ago, you still do and they've probably grown. Review your records and include any documentation you can find about them. Ask your opthamologist to give you something in writing about them. Again, if he won't, you'll need an office visit for the record, and get a copy of the notes. As I stated previously, file a claim for them with the effective date that coincides with the beginning of the "history" you said the VA confirmed regarding this condition.

6) If you can swing a visit to a civilian opthamologist for an examination and a second opinion, that wouldn't be a bad idea.

7) How's your hearing, did you have an exit hearing test? Do you know your scores? I've yet to meet a 20+ year vet without tinnitus, and I'm in a place where there's an Air Force Base and lots of retirees.

8) In the "firm grasp of the obvious" department:

1) Mail anything you send certified, so you get a confirmation of delivery and a signature.

2) Don't be tempted to mail anything by normal means, they'll deny they received it. I've had them deny receipt of mail when I was holding the certified receipt in my hand while talking to them over the phone!

3) Get a receipt if you hand deliver anything, even if you have to make one up yourself before you leave the house, and just get their signature on it.

4) Don't take no for an answer. Press it as far and as long as you can.

Greetings

This will be my first claim for this aliment but I've submitted claims for other problems (HCV, Sleep Apnea, Asthma, Skin Rash, sinus problem, severe lower back pain) and received three increases and a few pending VA decision. I'm currently rated at 70%. As you can see I have my share of medical problems but I'm very proud to have served our country for 30 years. I have all of my medical records and pushing ahead with a reopen claim for Bilateral Eye Problem. I don't know what my hearing score was but the C&P doc said I passed the test. I need to get the ears recheck to be on the safe side...what is a passing score? Also, I'm not familar with the 1151 form process...I need to get smart on it. Thanks for your patience and help. "Keep Pumping the Knowledge"

Best Regards

Chiefhouse