Article at a glance
- Eye conditions can be claimable, from cataracts and glaucoma to pterygium and injury-related damage.
- Service links matter, sun and UV exposure, eye injuries, and conditions secondary to diabetes.
- Impairment is based on your corrected vision, with both eyes considered together.
- Gold Card covers all eye care and glasses; White Card covers it for accepted vision conditions.
Failing eyesight is easy to write off as just getting older. But for many veterans, eye conditions trace back to service, sun and glare, an injury, chemical exposure, or another condition like diabetes, and that can make them claimable. DVA also covers eye care and glasses, which a lot of veterans do not realise they are entitled to.
This guide covers the eye conditions veterans claim for, how sight impairment is assessed, and how to access eye care and glasses through DVA. For the bigger picture, see the DVA medical conditions hub.
Eye conditions veterans claim for
- Cataracts
- Glaucoma
- Pterygium (growth on the eye, linked to sun and wind exposure)
- Age-related macular degeneration
- Diabetic retinopathy, where it follows accepted diabetes
- Damage and vision loss from eye injuries
The service connections that matter
A few service factors come up again and again in eye claims. Long periods outdoors mean heavy sun, glare and UV exposure, which is linked to conditions like pterygium and can contribute to cataracts. Eye injuries and trauma, and exposure to dust, chemicals or blast, can cause lasting damage. And some eye conditions are secondary, the clearest example being diabetic retinopathy that follows on from accepted diabetes. Whether a particular link is recognised is assessed against the Statement of Principles for that condition.
How sight impairment is assessed
If an eye condition is accepted, the impairment is worked out from your corrected vision, that is, your vision with glasses or contact lenses, not your bare eyesight. It looks at both how clearly you can see (visual acuity) and how much of your field of vision is affected, and it considers both eyes together. A clear diagnosis and proper eye testing are what the assessment turns on, so good specialist evidence matters.
Eye care and glasses through DVA
Separate from compensation, DVA also funds eye care and glasses, and what you are covered for depends on your card.
- Veteran Gold Card covers eye examinations, glasses and treatment for all of your eye conditions, whether or not they are service-related. Glasses are generally provided every couple of years, and more often if your vision changes significantly.
- Veteran White Card covers eye care where the treatment is for an accepted condition that affects your vision.
- Low vision aids for veterans who are blind or have low vision can be funded through DVA’s appliances program and providers such as Vision Australia.
White Card and your eye condition isn’t accepted? Then its treatment is not yet covered. If the condition is connected to your service, getting it accepted is what unlocks both the compensation and the eye care. That is where our team can help.
Frequently asked questions
If you hold a Gold Card, yes, eye examinations and glasses are covered for all your vision needs, generally every couple of years. White Card holders are covered where the treatment is for an accepted condition affecting their vision. There can be out-of-pocket costs if you choose non-standard frames or extras.
They may be. Sun, glare and UV exposure over a service career are linked to conditions like pterygium and can contribute to cataracts. Whether the link is accepted is assessed against the relevant Statement of Principles, so it’s worth having your exposure history looked at.
A clear diagnosis from an optometrist or ophthalmologist, eye testing showing the extent of the impairment, and, for a secondary claim, evidence linking it to your accepted condition or exposure. Good specialist evidence makes a real difference.