Veterans Newsletters

Please share, what people are going to hear in the next couple of days will not be accurate.  This morning at the Cabinet meeting when Secretary Collins gave his update he mentioned at the end that he was looking at using VA records to do away with the need for C&P exams.  (He did not say all C&P exams)

Many sites in the Veteran social media sphere went nuts over the Secretary doing away with all C&P exams, which is not what he said.  Common sense would tell you not every Veteran who files a claim is seen in the VA - so maybe no records to use for that purpose.

Obviously I do not know Secretary Collins, I assume he is very sharp. And he does have a real point here.  Most of you know I worked for 25 years in the VA with Veterans with impaired vision.  In a C&P exam for visual accuity loss a Snellen (Big E) eye chart is used.  In a regular VA eye exam you probably are screened with the same type eye chart.  There are stricter protocols in a C:& P exam, but they could be duplicated in an Eye Clinic screening with some education and practice.

Have I ever used a screening from a VA Eye Clinic to help a Veteran file a claim?  Yes, I went over what was needed with the nurse who did the screening.  My office in San Diego VA was part of the Eye Clinic.  I did not have her fudge anything, just utilize the measurements used in a C&P exam.

For example, Light Perception only means a great deal in vision loss ratings, it has to do with levels of Special Monthly Compensation.  The C&P definition of Light Perception for rating purposes is different from the average Eye Doctor's definition.

So what about the other 70+ things that we have DBQs for?   I have no idea.  I guess the PT's can take pretty accurate measurements on how far I can bend my knee.  So maybe there is potential to not need a C&P in some cases if the screening is well done.  This might work well with mental health too, especially as we slide into the new ratings later this year. I am sure very sharp people can come up with workable systems that are effective.

Bottom line there is a great deal of potential in what the Secretary suggested.  They are not doing away with C&P exams.  But I have no doubt that if done well using existing records could reduce the need for C&Ps in many cases.  It would facilitate faster claims and would be a cost saver for the VA.

And what if it is poorly done?  There is that potential too...

Some of you might be saying: They did not use a Big E eye chart with me, how come?

Another eye chart often used is called ETDRS (Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study).  It was really big and pretty new when I started to work in the VA (which shows how old I am).  It provides more information than a Snellen.   It was a favorite to use in the Eye Clinic's Diabetes Clinic. It looks like an inverted pyramid, the biggest letters are still at the top.