Improving Your Look

Veterans May Be Eligible For Vision Assistance

It isn't always easy getting help with medical issues as a veteran, and vision care is no different. Whether your eyesight was severely limited due to military service or seems to be getting significantly worse now that you're out of the service, an optometrist may be able to help you maintain focus. Consider a few ways that an optometrist can help you with your vision problems as well as related financial issues:

Getting Vision Care When Money Is Tight

Even if you're getting the cheapest glasses frames available, you may simply not have the extra money to spare. If your vision problems could have been caused by military service, you may not have to pay a dime at first.

The Department of Veterans Affairs provides disability compensation for veterans with service-connected conditions. A service-connected condition is any condition that was caused by military service or made significantly worse. As long as you have documented evidence of issues that affected your vision--or any condition--during military service, you can proceed with a disability claim.

An optometrist can help you by providing an exacting series of eye exams that can underline the severity of your vision problems. Although Veterans Affairs (VA) personnel will perform a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam to get a cursory assessment of your condition, long wait times and busy schedules may result in a rushed examination that lacks depth.

With the civilian optometrist's assistance, you can get as much detail as necessary on the time and terms of you and the optometrist of your choice.

Know What Issues To Claim

It's important to note that qualifying for one disabling condition qualifies you for the entire VA benefits package, which can include vision assistance. If your vision claim fails to meet the expectations of VA officials, other conditions that were caused by military service can be used to get the same compensation.

It's best to submit all of the conditions that affect you as part of the same claim, as the different conditions will be assessed  by the VA as they see fit. The earlier your claims are submitted, the soon you can expect a decision for approval or a denial to appeal.

Once you receive compensation, request a referral to the civilian optometrist of choice. Not only will you receive more personalized care, but you'll have a wider range of vision care products such as frame styles, types of contacts or even surgery that can be performed faster than waiting on the VA's line of ailing veterans.

Contact an optometrist to schedule an eye exam that could be the start of a much better medical situation through VA claims. To learn more, contact a company like Montgomery Eye Center with any questions you have.


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