diabetes Vision Loss

[DW]

Hello,

First time reader and very glad to have a fellow Vet tell me about this site. I did a quick search and didn't find anything addressing my concerns, so here it goes.

Background: Several years ago I had a retinal detachment in my left eye.. The doctors reattached it and it never really had the same vision as before. Over the 2 years since it has got worse. I went to specialists and received a few more surgeries and now I am blind in my left eye. I have diabetes II at 30% and was given Macular degeneration as Non Svc Connected (NSC) and Diplopia NSC...but this is controllable and due to my Migraines--which is rated at 30%. (I would like to see the previous two as Svc Connected, however.) This said, I received a 30% rating for retinal detachment and repair with macular scar, left eye. I cant seem to figure out a rating for this with being blind in my left eye. I had visions test completed before retirement set up by the VA. I haven't physically read the test results (I asked the facility to send me a copy and said I would have to do a FOIA request???) I cant imagine the results confirming anything other than I am blind in my left eye. 

My concern/questions are two fold. Do I have to specifically mention blindness on my claim? The VA rep at my base said the VA will determine the acuity by my vision tests and therefore it doesn't have to be specific. Secondly, I have a good overall rating and don't want to jeopardize it,(just received it after submitting it 4 months ago. I am blessed in this area and my heart goes out to those who are still in limbo) but I feel that if in the future I need additional medical attention on my eye, the VA wont cover it. I would really like to have the blindness specified...even if at 0% Svc connected. If I do chose to follow up on this with the VA, how is it best to do so? How can I get all the medical results, tests, opinions and judgments made by the VA sent to me w/o a FOIA request?

Thanks in advance.

[Berta]

Do you have diagnosed diabetic retinopathy?

For some reason  I could not get access here to the Diabetes TL from VA, so I got it from YUKU VBN:

http://vets.yuku.com/topic/48610/VA-Training-and-Fast-Letters-Any-others-to-add#.Vd4VIpdLzV9

I it said my account didnt allow me access here....I posted the link to it here many times...oh well.

There is a definite medical association between diabetes and retinopathy and also medical evidence that is also can cause macular degeneration...

"How can I get all the medical results, tests, opinions and judgments made by the VA sent to me w/o a FOIA request?"

 

You can obtain copies of your VA medical records by writing to the VAMC that treats you.

You can get copies of your C file by writing to the RO you deal with.

And (I have said this so many times here, I wont say it again...)

You do not need FOIA for YOUR records. You can request them under the Privacy Act 5, USC 552, and they will come faster than using FOIA.

You don't even need to cite the Privacy Act. These are your records.

I am a civilian but was a VAMC patient for 2 days. They gave me my VA records from that emergency care hospitalization, right before they discharged me.

I never leave my regular PCP doc without updated medical records.

FOIAs are handled far differently than regular records requests.

Your VAMC might well have a short form you can sign for copies of your medical records at VA.