Citation Nr: 21025310 Decision Date: 04/27/21 Archive Date: 04/27/21 DOCKET NO. 15-40 306 DATE: April 27, 2021 REMANDED A rating higher than 10 percent for cataracts is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from September 1967 to October 1970. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a February 2015 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). The Board remanded the claim in January 2021 for further development. Unfortunately, while the Board regrets further delay, the Board finds remand is necessary for proper development of the claim. In an appellant brief in October 2020 and again in April 2021, the Veteran’s representative argued that a new VA examination was necessary to properly assess the disability. Indeed, the last VA examination was conducted in February 2015. The Board agrees that a new VA examination is necessary to properly assess the current severity of the eye disability.   The matter is REMANDED for the following action: 1. Associate any pertinent VA or private medical records that are not already of record with the claims file. 2. Schedule the Veteran for a VA eye examination to determine the current nature and severity of service-connected cataracts. The examiner must review the claims file and should note that review in the report. Any and all studies or tests deemed necessary should be performed. The examiner should elicit information about the nature of the cataracts and symptoms when present, even if not present at the time of the examination. To the extent possible, the examiner should identify any symptoms and functional impairments due to the Veteran’s cataracts and should discuss the effect of the disability on any occupational functioning and activities of daily living. JOHN Z. JONES Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board H. Ahmad, 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 This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.