Dry Eye Syndrome — VA Disability Rating & Claim Guide
This is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with a VSO or accredited claims agent.
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The DBQ for Dry Eye Syndrome
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960N-2 (Eye Conditions) — the form that decides your rating. You can have your own doctor complete the same DBQ and submit it as evidence.
Have a C&P exam coming up? See exactly what the examiner will ask about Dry Eye Syndrome — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Dry Eye Syndrome, based on your overall combined VA disability rating.
| Rating | Monthly (Alone) | Monthly (w/ Spouse) | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | $2,165.04 |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | $4,279.92 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $6,629.64 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $9,550.08 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $13,594.80 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $17,220.24 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $21,701.40 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $25,225.80 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $28,347.60 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $47,262.96 |
Common Symptoms
Document these symptoms in your claim. The more thoroughly you describe how they affect your daily life, the stronger your claim.
Functional Limitations
VA rates disabilities based on how they limit your ability to function. Describe these limitations in your personal statement.
Rating Criteria for Dry Eye Syndrome
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.79, DC 6025 (disorders of the lacrimal apparatus), used by analogy for dry eye syndrome / keratoconjunctivitis sicca. Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
Unilateral involvement.
Bilateral involvement.
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding Dry Eye Syndrome raise your rating?
Enter your current combined rating and the level this condition would rate at. We'll do the VA math.
New combined
10%
New monthly
$180
Change
+$180
Rates shown are the 2026 veteran-alone amounts (no dependents). VA combines ratings with "whole-person" math and rounds to the nearest 10, so adding a condition does not simply add its percentage. Full combined-rating calculator with dependents →
Peer-Reviewed Medical Evidence
Real, verified studies from PubMed/NIH that support a Dry Eye Syndrome claim. Bring these citations to your accredited VSO or C&P exam — they help show your condition is recognized in the medical literature and, where noted, linked to other service-connected conditions.
American Journal of Ophthalmology, 2022 · PMID 34780800
Finding: In a prospective cross-sectional study of South Florida Gulf War era veterans, those meeting Kansas criteria for Gulf War Illness (n=30) had significantly higher dry eye symptom scores than controls (n=41) (OSDI 41.20 vs 27.99, P=.01) and higher ocular pain scores (NPSI-E 17.33 vs 9.63, P=.03), despite similar tear/ocular surface signs.
Why it helps: Supports an association between Gulf War service/illness and more severe dry eye symptoms in veterans, useful for a direct service-connection theory in Gulf War era claimants.
Scientific Reports, 2021 · PMID 33753811
Finding: In a case-control study of Gulf War era veterans, those with Gulf War Illness (n=60) had a higher frequency of dry eye symptoms than controls (50% vs 32.9%, p=0.039); PTSD was a strong predictor of a GWI diagnosis (OR 20.5) alongside retinal nerve fiber layer thinning.
Why it helps: Supports an association between Gulf War service-related illness and dry eye symptoms, and links the eye findings to co-occurring PTSD, reinforcing both direct and PTSD-related nexus arguments.
The Ocular Surface, 2013 · nexus to traumatic brain injury (TBI) · PMID 23321357
Finding: Among 53 veterans with TBI (44 blast, 9 non-blast), dry eye disease was more prevalent both subjectively and objectively than in matched controls (worse OSDI and ocular surface staining, P<.001), an effect present in both blast and non-blast TBI and not explained by medication use, that may persist for months to years.
Why it helps: Supports an association between service-related TBI (including blast injury) and dry eye disease, useful for a secondary nexus to a service-connected TBI.
JAMA Ophthalmology, 2016 · nexus to PTSD · PMID 27685701
Finding: In 118 patients at a VA hospital (89% men, mean 41% with PTSD), overall dry eye symptom severity was significantly associated with PTSD scores and tear breakup time (OSDI model R=0.61, P<.001), and PTSD score explained part of the variability in neuropathic-like ocular pain (total NPSI-E R=0.55, P<.001).
Why it helps: Supports an association between PTSD and dry eye symptom severity in a veteran population, useful for a secondary nexus to service-connected PTSD.
PLoS One, 2022 · nexus to PTSD, depression, sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, arthritis · PMID 35984830
Finding: Meta-analysis of 48 studies (493,630 individuals) found increased odds of dry eye syndrome with PTSD (OR 1.65), depression (OR 1.83), sleep apnea (OR 1.57), diabetes mellitus (OR 1.15), arthritis (OR 1.76), thyroid disease (OR 1.60), and migraines (OR 1.53), among others.
Why it helps: Supports associations between dry eye syndrome and multiple commonly service-connected conditions, providing broad secondary-nexus support across PTSD, depression, sleep apnea, diabetes, and arthritis.
International Ophthalmology, 2019 · nexus to diabetes mellitus · PMID 31065905
Finding: A meta-analysis of four case-control studies (2,504,794 persons) found a significant association between diabetes mellitus and dry eye syndrome (OR 1.30; 95% CI 1.08-1.57; P=0.006), though with high heterogeneity (I2=95.2%).
Why it helps: Supports an association between diabetes mellitus and dry eye, useful for a secondary nexus to service-connected diabetes (including presumptive Agent Orange diabetes).
Nature and Science of Sleep, 2024 · nexus to obstructive sleep apnea · PMID 39659892
Finding: A systematic review and meta-analysis (11 studies, 1,526 patients) found that patients with obstructive sleep apnea had poorer dry eye profiles than non-OSA patients across tear breakup time, Schirmer test, and OSDI; CPAP use of at least a year was associated with better dry eye outcomes.
Why it helps: Supports an association between obstructive sleep apnea and dry eye disease, useful for a secondary nexus to service-connected sleep apnea (and notes potential CPAP-related ocular effects).
Eye (London), 2016 · nexus to depression, anxiety · PMID 27518547
Finding: A meta-analysis of 22 studies (2,980,026 patients) found dry eye disease associated with higher prevalence of depression (OR 2.92, 95% CI 2.13-4.01) and anxiety (OR 2.80, 95% CI 2.61-3.02), with the greatest depression burden in primary Sjogren's syndrome patients.
Why it helps: Supports a bidirectional association between dry eye disease and depression/anxiety, useful both for dry eye as secondary to a mental-health condition and for mental-health conditions claimed as secondary to dry eye.
Every citation is real and verified against PubMed. This is general information, not medical or legal advice — your accredited VSO or representative can advise on your specific claim.
Evidence Checklist
Gather these types of evidence before filing your claim. The strongest claims include multiple evidence types.
Common Treatments
Documenting ongoing treatment strengthens your claim and supports higher ratings.
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Dry Eye Syndrome as a Secondary Condition
Dry Eye Syndrome is commonly claimed secondary to these primary conditions:
Filing a Dry Eye Syndromeclaim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for Dry Eye Syndrome should also be looking at:
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Draft your Dry Eye Syndrome personal statement
7-step wizard that builds your VA claim personal statement using your own words. Detects presumptive eligibility, cites 38 CFR + DBQ, includes federal-crime disclosure. You review and edit before filing.
Start draftingNot legal or medical advice. Always have a VSO or accredited rep review before filing.
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Educational content, not professional advice
This article is published by Military Transition Toolkit for educational and planning purposes. It is not legal, medical, or financial advice. VA rating criteria, benefits, and regulations change — verify anything benefits-affecting against VA.gov, 38 CFR Part 4, or a VA-accredited representative (VSO, agent, or attorney) before filing.
MTT is a veteran-owned planning tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or any military branch.