WingmanOpen the free toolsWingmanOpen the free toolsIf the VA already service-connected your cataracts (also called cataract, cataracts, cloudy lens, clouded vision), it can cause or worsen other conditions that are ratable on their own. These "secondary" claims are where many veterans leave money on the table. Below is what a service-connected cataracts commonly leads to, why, and what evidence each one takes.
A secondary claim only works if the primary condition (cataracts) is already service-connected, and you have a nexus — a doctor's opinion that it is "at least as likely as not" the cause. More on nexus letters →
A clouded lens scatters light, so the rating turns on how much your corrected vision has dropped. Cataracts are also well recognized as developing secondary to diabetes and to long-term steroid use, so if either applies to you, that is the stronger direction to claim from.
What you'd need: Corrected visual acuity measurements for each eye and an ophthalmology note documenting the cataract.
Most cataract surgery leaves an artificial replacement lens behind. If yours did not, the rating schedule routes you to the aphakia code instead, which is a different and usually better evaluation.
What you'd need: The operative report showing whether a replacement lens was implanted, and post-operative visual acuity.
Losing the ability to drive, read or work is a recognized driver of secondary depression and anxiety.
What you'd need: A mental health diagnosis and a provider opinion linking it to the vision loss.