Scarring, tissue loss, or abnormalities in the retina.
To support the 10% rating for centrally located retinal changes, medical records showing the specific location of the scar, atrophy, or irregularity on the retina are helpful, along with eye examination findings or imaging such as optical coherence tomography that documents the central location. Records or statements describing visual distortions — images that appear irregular, doubled, enlarged, or smaller than normal — directly tie to this criterion.
To support a higher rating under the incapacitating-episode path, you need dated records from a treating provider that show each visit was made specifically for treatment of the retinal condition. Treatment records showing intravitreal or periocular injections, laser sessions, surgical interventions, or prescriptions for systemic immunosuppressants or biologic agents are the kinds of documentation that count. A running log of appointment dates and the treatments performed helps establish the total number of qualifying visits within a 12-month period. To support a rating based on visual impairment, evidence of reduced visual acuity or visual field loss from standardized eye testing would be relevant under the separate visual impairment standards referenced in the regulation.
Conditions that are often caused or made worse by this one. If you have any of these, they may be claimable as secondary service connection.
