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VASRD 6013 · Organs of Special Sense

Glaucoma VA Disability Rating

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases in which pressure inside the eye damages the optic nerve, narrowing the field of vision over time. The VA schedule codes it in two forms — open-angle glaucoma (DC 6013) and angle-closure glaucoma (DC 6012) — and gives them word-for-word identical rating instructions.

VA Rating Tiers

RatingCriteria
60%7 or more treatment visits in a year
40%5 or 6 treatment visits in a year
20%3 or 4 treatment visits in a year
10%1 or 2 treatment visits a year, or daily eye drops
0%Service-connected, but no compensable impairment yet

How the VA Evaluates Glaucoma

DC 6012 and DC 6013 carry no rating criteria of their own. Each reads: "Evaluate under the General Rating Formula for Diseases of the Eye. Minimum evaluation if continuous medication is required — 10." That formula is evaluated "on the basis of either visual impairment due to the particular condition or on incapacitating episodes, whichever results in a higher evaluation," so there are two routes and VA applies the one that pays more. The incapacitating-episodes route is the ladder in the table above and stops at 60 percent; an incapacitating episode is defined as "an eye condition severe enough to require a clinic visit to a provider specifically for treatment purposes." The visual-impairment route is rated under separate diagnostic codes — impairment of central visual acuity (DCs 6061-6066), visual fields (DC 6080), or muscle function (DC 6090) — and is the only route that reaches 30, 70, 80, 90 or 100 percent. Two limits govern it: where only one eye is service-connected the other eye is considered to be 20/40 (38 CFR 4.75(c)), and "the evaluation for visual impairment of one eye must not exceed 30 percent unless there is anatomical loss of the eye" (38 CFR 4.75(d)).

Approval outlook

68%

Veterans service-connected

~12,500 veterans

Typical rating awarded

~10%

Vetrify editorial estimates informed by VA published claims data (VBA Annual Benefits Report) and the VA rating schedule — not official VA statistics.

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Best Evidence to Gather

  • •Optometry records tracking eye pressure and vision over time.
  • •Visual field tests measuring the extent of any vision loss.
  • •Ophthalmologist reports documenting the diagnosis and treatment plan.
  • •An ophthalmology report documenting the diagnosis.
  • •A formal visual field test measuring the extent of peripheral vision loss.
  • •OCT (optical coherence tomography) scans imaging the optic nerve directly.

Strategy Tips

  • •Ask for formal visual field testing (perimetry), not just an eye-chart acuity test. The visual-impairment route is the only one that reaches above 60 percent, and field loss is how glaucoma usually shows up there.
  • •Count treatment visits over the last 12 months. The incapacitating-episodes route turns entirely on how many clinic visits your eye condition required for treatment purposes, so a visit log can be worth more than a symptom description.
  • •If you use pressure-lowering drops daily, say so explicitly — continuous medication is the stated basis for the 10 percent minimum, independent of any vision loss.

C&P Exam Pitfalls

  • •Not including medication evidence, since continuous medication use is a specific, independent basis for a compensable rating.
  • •Missing visual field data, which is the test that actually measures the vision loss glaucoma causes.
  • •Using only a standard vision acuity test instead of a visual field test, since this specific code is rated on field loss, not acuity.
  • •No intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements included.

Common Filing Mistakes

  • •Submitting only an eyeglass prescription, which speaks to refractive error rather than the optic-nerve damage and field loss glaucoma is rated on.
  • •Leaving treatment visits undocumented, which forecloses the incapacitating-episodes route entirely.

Onset Patterns

  • •Glaucoma typically develops gradually and can run in families, though it can also follow service-connected head trauma that affects eye pressure regulation.
  • •Glaucoma under this code typically develops gradually, with visual field loss worsening slowly over time, often without the person noticing until it's significant.

Secondary Conditions

Conditions commonly linked to Glaucoma. Service-connecting a secondary condition can increase your combined rating.

Common Among These Military Jobs

Military occupational specialties (MOS) where Glaucoma is frequently claimed.

Army13AField Artillery OfficerArmy13BCannon CrewmemberArmy13CTactical Automated Fire Control Systems SpecialistArmy13DField Artillery Automated Tactical Data Systems SpecialistArmy13ECannon Fire Direction SpecialistArmy13FFire Support SpecialistArmy13MMultiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) CrewmemberArmy13PMultiple Launch Rocket System Fire Direction SpecialistArmy13RField Artillery Firefinder Radar OperatorArmy13SField Artillery SurveyorArmy13TField Artillery Meteorological CrewmemberArmy13ZField Artillery Senior Sergeant

Common questions about Glaucoma

Is Glaucoma a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Glaucoma under VASRD diagnostic code 6013 (Organs of Special Sense). Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases in which pressure inside the eye damages the optic nerve, narrowing the field of vision over time. The VA schedule codes it in two forms — open-angle glaucoma (DC 6013) and angle-closure glaucoma…
What VA disability rating can I get for Glaucoma?
Possible VA ratings for Glaucoma are 60%, 40%, 20%, 10%, 0%. Examples: 60%: 7 or more treatment visits in a year; 40%: 5 or 6 treatment visits in a year; 20%: 3 or 4 treatment visits in a year.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Glaucoma?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Glaucoma at around 10%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 12,500 veterans are service-connected for Glaucoma. Estimated approval outlook: 68%.
What evidence helps prove Glaucoma for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Glaucoma claim includes: Optometry records tracking eye pressure and vision over time.; Visual field tests measuring the extent of any vision loss.; Ophthalmologist reports documenting the diagnosis and treatment plan.; An ophthalmology report documenting the diagnosis..
What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Glaucoma?
Common pitfalls when filing for Glaucoma: Submitting only an eyeglass prescription, which speaks to refractive error rather than the optic-nerve damage and field loss glaucoma is rated on.; Leaving treatment visits undocumented, which forecloses the incapacitating-episodes route entirely..
What conditions are commonly secondary to Glaucoma?
Conditions often service-connected as secondary to Glaucoma include: Cataracts, Depression, Vision Loss. Filing for secondary conditions can increase a veteran's combined VA rating.

Official sources

  1. 38 CFR § 4.79 — Schedule of ratings — eye conditions (Diagnostic Code 6013)

Rating criteria on this page are an educational summary of the cited regulation — the eCFR text is authoritative. See how Vetrify derives its numbers.

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