Citation Nr: 21063576 Decision Date: 10/14/21 Archive Date: 10/14/21 DOCKET NO. 18-10 051 DATE: October 14, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to a compensable disability rating for dry eye with a history of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty in the United States Army from October 1970 until his honorable discharge in April 1972. Subsequently, the Veteran served on active duty in the United States Army Reserves from December 1990 until his honorable discharge in July 1991. These matters come before the Board of Veterans' Appeals from a September 2016 rating decision by the Regional Office (RO) of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In July 2019 and May 2021, the Board remanded the case to the RO for further development. Specifically, the most recent Board remand directed the RO to obtain an addendum opinion to supplement the results of the January 2020 VA examination and to obtain an opinion addressing the likelihood that the Veteran's service-connected dry eye syndrome aggravated his bilateral senescent cataracts beyond their natural progression. In response, the RO accomplished the directives of the May 2021 Board remand. 1. Entitlement to a compensable disability rating for dry eye with a history of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis is remanded. When a claimant asserts, or the evidence shows, that the severity of a disability has increased since the most recent rating examination, an additional examination is appropriate. VAOPGCPREC 11-95 (April 7, 1995); Snuffer v. Gober, 10 Vet. App. 400 (1997). Subsequent to the issuance of the most recent Supplemental Statement of the Case in August 2021, the Veteran submitted correspondence advising that he disagreed with the most recent decision because he believes that he had additional disability affecting the eyes due to exposure in service around smoke, fire, chemicals, and sandstorms. Although this portion is not a new assertion, the Veteran asserts that he has pain, itching, and redness in his eyes and these are new symptoms that are not previously of record with the most recent VA examination conducted in January 2020. Therefore, a remand is required in order to afford the Veteran with a new VA examination. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. After any additional records are associated with the claims file, provide the Veteran with an appropriate examination to determine the severity of the service-connected dry eye with a history of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis. The entire claims file must be made available to and be reviewed by the examiner. Any indicated tests and studies must be accomplished and all clinical findings must be reported in detail and correlated to a specific diagnosis. The examiner must document all reported symptoms including but not limited to itching, pain, and redness reported by the Veteran. For each reported symptom, the examiner must attribute the symptom to the appropriate disability of the eye. The examiner must document all disabilities of the eye including but not limited to dry eye, glaucoma, and senescent cataracts. For each and every eye disability beyond his currently service-connected dry eye with a history of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis, the examiner must opine if the eye disability is at least as likely as not (50 percent probability or greater) due to his active service; or, caused by or aggravated beyond its natural progression due to a service-connected disability and what symptoms (i.e. pain, itchiness, redness, and/or visual impairment(s)) are associated with each disability. An explanation for all opinions expressed must be provided. The relevant Disability Benefits Questionnaire must be utilized. M. Tenner Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board G. Deemer, Associate Counsel The Board's decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.