Body system: EyeRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.79DBQ: DBQ OPHTH Eyes
Optic neuropathy is damage to the optic nerve, the nerve that carries visual information from your eye to your brain. The VA rates it under the General Rating Formula for Diseases of the Eye (38 CFR 4.79), on whichever of two paths gives the higher rating: the visual impairment it causes (central visual acuity, visual field or eye muscle function, rated on both eyes together under 38 CFR 4.75 to 4.79), or incapacitating episodes, counted as the clinic visits needed for treatment of the eye condition in the past 12 months: 10% for 1 or 2 visits, 20% for 3 or 4, 40% for 5 or 6, 60% for 7 or more. Visual impairment alone can rate up to 100%.
Rating levels
- Note — DC 6026 optic neuropathy is rated under the General Rating Formula for Diseases of the Eye. Path 1 is visual impairment: the VA measures your corrected visual acuity, your visual field and your eye muscle function and rates them under the vision codes (DCs 6061-6091), both eyes together. Path 2 is incapacitating episodes, the tiers below: how many clinic visits you needed for treatment of the optic neuropathy in the past 12 months (for example injections into the eye, laser treatment, systemic immunosuppressants or biologics, or surgery). You get whichever path gives the higher rating; the two are not combined.
- 60% — You qualify for 60% on the incapacitating-episodes path if your optic neuropathy needed 7 or more clinic visits specifically for treatment during the past 12 months (systemic immunosuppressants or biologic agents; intravitreal or periocular injections; laser treatments; or other surgical interventions). This is the top of the treatment-visit path; the visual impairment path can go higher and applies if it does.
- 40% — You qualify for 40% on the incapacitating-episodes path if your optic neuropathy needed at least 5 but fewer than 7 clinic visits specifically for treatment during the past 12 months (systemic immunosuppressants or biologic agents; intravitreal or periocular injections; laser treatments; or other surgical interventions). The visual impairment path applies instead if it gives a higher rating.
- 20% — You qualify for 20% on the incapacitating-episodes path if your optic neuropathy needed at least 3 but fewer than 5 clinic visits specifically for treatment during the past 12 months (systemic immunosuppressants or biologic agents; intravitreal or periocular injections; laser treatments; or other surgical interventions). The visual impairment path applies instead if it gives a higher rating.
- 10% — You qualify for 10% on the incapacitating-episodes path if your optic neuropathy needed at least 1 but fewer than 3 clinic visits specifically for treatment during the past 12 months (systemic immunosuppressants or biologic agents; intravitreal or periocular injections; laser treatments; or other surgical interventions). The visual impairment path applies instead if it gives a higher rating.