Glaucoma — VA Disability Rating & Claim Guide
This is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with a VSO or accredited claims agent.
Start a claim for Glaucoma— free & guided
Step-by-step builder: add this and any related conditions, see the research, and get a package ready for a free VSO. No account needed to start.
The DBQ for Glaucoma
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 Glaucoma — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Glaucoma, 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 Glaucoma
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.79, DC 6013 (open-angle glaucoma) via the General Rating Formula for Diseases of the Eye; angle-closure is DC 6012. Rated on the higher of incapacitating episodes or visual impairment.. Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
Documented incapacitating episodes requiring at least 1 but less than 3 treatment visits for the eye condition in the past 12 months; minimum 10 percent for open-angle glaucoma requiring continuous medication (DC 6013). May instead be rated on visual impairment if higher.
Documented incapacitating episodes requiring at least 3 but less than 5 treatment visits in the past 12 months. May instead be rated on visual impairment if higher.
Documented incapacitating episodes requiring at least 5 but less than 7 treatment visits in the past 12 months. May instead be rated on visual impairment if higher.
Documented incapacitating episodes requiring 7 or more treatment visits in the past 12 months. May instead be rated on visual impairment if higher.
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding Glaucoma 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 Glaucoma 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.
Scientific Reports, 2021 · PMID 34083587
Finding: In a VA/University of Iowa blast-TBI mouse model simulating combat blast exposure, blast caused progressive loss of retinal ganglion cell somas and axons, with axon damage preceding cell-body loss (greatest loss by 5 weeks post-injury). The authors note this pattern resembles the pathology seen in mouse models of glaucoma, suggesting shared mechanisms of optic-nerve injury.
Why it helps: Supports a biological link between military blast exposure / traumatic brain injury and glaucoma-like optic neuropathy, helping connect combat blast or head-trauma history to later glaucomatous damage. Note: this is an animal/mechanistic study, not a human prevalence study.
Ophthalmology, 2015 · nexus to diabetes mellitus · PMID 25283061
Finding: Meta-analysis of 47 studies (2,981,342 individuals) found the pooled relative risk of glaucoma was 1.48 (95% CI 1.29-1.71) in people with diabetes versus without, with risk rising 5% per year since diabetes diagnosis (95% CI 1%-9%) and a small increase in intraocular pressure.
Why it helps: Supports an association between diabetes and increased glaucoma risk, useful when diabetes is the service-connected condition and glaucoma is claimed as secondary.
Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, 2024 · nexus to obstructive sleep apnea · PMID 37227479
Finding: Across 49 studies, obstructive sleep apnea was significantly associated with glaucoma (pooled OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.16-1.91, p<0.001), as well as with NAION, floppy eyelid syndrome, retinal vein occlusion, and keratoconus.
Why it helps: Supports an association between obstructive sleep apnea and glaucoma, useful when OSA is the service-connected condition and glaucoma is claimed as secondary.
PLoS One, 2014 · nexus to hypertension · PMID 25254373
Finding: Meta-analysis of 16 population-based studies (60,084 individuals) found systemic hypertension was associated with open-angle glaucoma (pooled OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.09-1.36), with the association strongest for high-tension glaucoma (OR 1.92).
Why it helps: Supports an association between systemic hypertension and glaucoma, relevant when hypertension is the service-connected condition and glaucoma is claimed as secondary.
- Steroid-induced iatrogenic glaucomaSecondary
Ophthalmic Research, 2012 · nexus to corticosteroid medications · PMID 21757964
Finding: Review describing that roughly 5% of the population are high steroid responders who develop intraocular pressure elevation of more than 15 mm Hg; IOP elevation occurs in 20-65% of patients after intravitreal triamcinolone, and about 75% of eyes with steroid implants require IOP-lowering therapy within 3 years.
Why it helps: Supports an association between corticosteroid treatment and glaucoma, relevant when steroids are prescribed for a service-connected condition (e.g., respiratory, musculoskeletal, or skin conditions) and glaucoma is claimed as secondary to that medication.
Journal of Glaucoma, 2024 · nexus to PTSD, anxiety, chronic stress · PMID 39087943
Finding: In a pretest-posttest study of 48 participants, rising perceived-stress scores were accompanied by significant IOP increases, with a larger rise in glaucoma patients (+3.10 mm Hg) than controls (+2.23 mm Hg) and a significant stress-by-disease interaction (p=0.001).
Why it helps: Supports an association between psychological stress and elevated intraocular pressure, relevant to claiming glaucoma aggravation as secondary to PTSD, anxiety, or other chronic stress-related service-connected conditions.
- Psychological interventions to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) in glaucoma patients: a reviewSecondary
Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, 2023 · nexus to PTSD, anxiety, chronic stress · PMID 36441225
Finding: Review of 17 studies found stress-reducing psychological interventions, especially daily meditation (30-60 min), lowered intraocular pressure by 1.5 to 6.1 mm Hg and improved ocular perfusion and quality of life in glaucoma patients.
Why it helps: Supports the link between stress and intraocular pressure by showing stress reduction lowers IOP, reinforcing a plausible mechanism for glaucoma being aggravated by PTSD or chronic stress-related service-connected conditions.
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.
Secondary Conditions Linked to Glaucoma
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Glaucoma. A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
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Filing a Glaucomaclaim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for Glaucoma should also be looking at:
Quick calculator
Estimate your combined rating →
The VA doesn't add ratings — they use a specific formula. See your combined rating in 30 seconds.
Health care
Estimate your VA Priority Group →
Priority Group 1-8 determines what care you get and what it costs. Service-connected = lower copays, full access.
Where you live
Compare 50 state veteran benefits →
State property tax exemptions for SC vets vary 10x. Some states fully exempt 100%-rated vets, others give nothing.
Home buying
VA home loan + funding fee waiver →
ANY service-connected rating waives the funding fee. On a $400K loan that's ~$8,600 saved.
Draft your Glaucoma 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.
Start Your Glaucoma VA Claim
Use our free Claims Builder to organize your Glaucoma evidence, track your claim status, and prepare for your C&P exam. No coaching fees — just tools.
Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to Glaucoma.
Glaucoma Claim Guide by State
Find state-specific VA facilities, veteran benefits, and filing resources.
More free tools
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.