EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. Not legal or medical advice. Not affiliated with the VA.
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Malignant Neoplasm of the Eye
✓ VERIFIED AGAINST 38 C.F.R.§ 4.79 (Eye) · reviewed 2026-05-17 · ClaimRecon Editorial Team
Malignant Neoplasm of the Eye is rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under DC 6014 of 38 CFR § 4.79, DC 6014 across 1 severity tier (100%). Service connection requires (1) a current diagnosis, (2) an in-service event, injury, or exposure, and (3) a medical nexus opinion linking the two under 38 C.F.R. § 3.303.
OVERVIEW
Cancerous tumors of the eye or orbit, including ocular melanoma (most common primary intraocular malignancy in adults), retinoblastoma, lymphoma, and metastatic tumors. Treatment may include enucleation, radiation, or chemotherapy.
RATING CRITERIA (1 LEVELS)
100%
Malignant neoplasm with systemic chemotherapy, extensive X-ray therapy, or surgery more extensive than enucleation. Continue the 100% rating beyond the cessation of any surgical, X-ray, antineoplastic chemotherapy, or other therapeutic procedure. Without comparable therapy, separately evaluate visual and nonvisual impairment and combine.
KEY EVIDENCE TO GATHER
-Service treatment records showing injury or complaints
-Imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT)
-Range of motion measurements
-Flare-up documentation per Sharp v. Shulkin
-Buddy statements describing limitations
-Prescription history
-Physical therapy records
-Employment impact documentation
C&P EXAM TIPS (6)
1.Do NOT stretch, warm up, or take pain medication before your exam. The VA needs your baseline limitation.
2.Report your WORST day. DeLuca v. Brown requires documentation of functional loss during flare-ups.
3.Tell the examiner about flare-ups: frequency, duration, estimated ROM loss. Sharp v. Shulkin (2017) requires estimates.
4.Request active, passive, weight-bearing, and non-weight-bearing ROM testing per Correia v. McDonald (2016).
5.If you use assistive devices (brace, cane), bring them.
6.Describe daily activity impact: work, sleep, household tasks.
SOURCES & EDITORIAL
Rating criteria text quoted verbatim from 38 C.F.R. § 4.79 (Eye). Source verified 2026-05-17 by ClaimRecon Editorial Team during a regulation-text comparison against the Cornell Law CFR mirror; eCFR.gov is the authoritative government source.
EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. NOT LEGAL OR MEDICAL ADVICE.
NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
CLAIM RECON 2026