PSP Questions   Question #111       I've heard several veterans talk about possible getting disability compensation for cataracts and their removal, especially if you were exposed to AO and have diabetes II.  Is this a myth or some truth to it?   A1:  If your diabetes is service connected, if might be possible to have the cataracts added as a secondary condition related to diabetes.  However, once surgery and recovery is complete, I suspect they will drop the compensation to 0%.  (RJ)  7/30/2016   A2:  Untrue- I myself fall into this category. As a recruit was forced to wear what we called BC glasses. They were called BC for Birth Control glasses. Cause when you wore them you would not get any. When I applied for eyewear my eye doctor told me then that VA would be taking care of my eyes for the rest of my life. And because I put on weight from my other compensatory disabilities I started to become diabetic. This changed my eye status. Once a year I have my eye appointment and annually I'm checked for glaucoma and cataracts which thank God have not increased. As a former medic I was always told that cataracts were like a fungus. You can have them removed and they still come back. I've an uncle who is a WWII veteran and in his mid 90's has had 2-4 cataract surgeries. Hope this helps.  (EL)  7/30/2016   A3:   You can claim and receive compensation for cataracts secondary to Diabetes type I and II. However, if you have lens replacement surgery, then the VA will consider the problem cured. Thus you will lose whatever compensation for cataracts. The VA will not pay compensation for something that's no longer there or a problem.  (PW)  7/30/2016      A4:  If you have diabetes mellitus TYpe II and the optometrist says that your cataracts are more likely than not related to your diabetes mellitus Type II.  The other condition may also be glaucoma.  By the way glaucoma is not secondary to exposure to Agent Orange, it is secondary to diabetes mellitus, Type II.  Cataracts is usually related to age so it may be difficult to get Service Connected.  (CKP)  7/30/2016      If you can help please respond to this question. Full name: Email address: Comments:   Question #112   I am a Vietnam vet who served 1966-67 in Pleiku Provence, central highlands with the 52nd Arty Grp, 6th Battalion, 14th Arty, service battery with the rank of Sgt-E5. Within a week or two arriving at my unit, I was stricken with malaria. I cannot account for several days after. Woke up in Da Nang and recuperated there for a few weeks. My question is, am I entitled to benefits of any kind? Thanking you in advance for any consideration you may show as to my inquiry. A1:  What current illness or residual do you suffer from that would need to be compensated for?  Compensation is only for problems with a current diagnosis.  (RJ)  7/30/2016 A2:  You can be compensated for malaria. However, there's a vast difference in compensation for an active bout of malaria and dormant malaria. File a claim with supporting evidence and go from there.  (PW)  7/30/2016 A3:  Only if you current problems would be from the malaria or some other problem caused by being in the service.  (TO)  7/30/2016     A4:  Hard question.  What type of malaria, did you ever have relapses, etc.  The other thing that you need to get is your service medical records and service treatment records from the Evac Hospital to which you were sent.  The medical records are not in your personnel jacket or in your SMRs.  They are by the facility.  It may be possible that you had a lot of other types of disabilities such as splenomegaly; anemia.  I would also contact a County Veteran Service Officer.  If you had P Falciprium then you would have had no reoccurrences but could be rated at 0%.  If you had P Vivax then that one had re-occurrences and you would never be able to donate blood because the spirochete stayed in the blood system.  Blackwater is about the same.  Also do a complete physical on yourself using your SMR.  Any accidents, injuries to joints, knees, ankles, etc.  review and see if you have had treatment over the years since the military for the aches and pains.  If so get a doctor's diagnosis and if the DR. will do it get a statement that it is more likely than not that your current "arthritis" or whatever is the diagnosis is related to the accident/injury in the military service.  (CKP)  7/30/2016 A5:   I contracted Malaria in 67 (Quang Tri) I filed a claim around 71 and got 10% for one year of benefits then 0%. You should file a claim and see what happens.  (DM)  7/30/2016   A6:  That depends on does you service connected issue cause you problems now. you can file for benefits and get the Doctors to evaluate you and go from there.  (TO)  8/5/2016   A7:  As others have stated, you have to tie the malaria to a CURRENT medical condition.  I have had success getting a heart condition and peripheral homeopathy tied to malaria.  (RJ)  8/8/2016  If you can help please respond to this question. Full name: Email address: Comments:

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