Statement of Principles

concerning

CONGENITAL CATARACT

Instrument No. 237 of 1995 as amended

made under section 196B(2) of the

This compilation was prepared on 7 July 2006 taking into account Amendment of Statement of Principles concerning CONGENITAL CATARACT (Instrument No. 12 of 2002)

Prepared by the Repatriation Medical Authority Secretariat, Brisbane.

Statement of Principles

concerning

CONGENITAL CATARACT

ICD CODES: 743.30 - 743.34

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986
subsection 196B(2)

1.         Being of the view that there is sound medical-scientific evidence that indicates that congenital cataract and death from congenital cataract can be related to operational service rendered by veterans, peacekeeping service rendered by members of Peacekeeping Forces and hazardous service rendered by members of the Forces, the Repatriation Medical Authority determines, under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (the Act), that the factors that must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting congenital cataract or death from congenital cataract with the circumstances of that service, are:

(a)       suffering from diabetes mellitus before the clinical worsening of congenital cataract; or

(b)       suffering from glaucoma of the affected eye before the clinical worsening of congenital cataract; or

(c)       undergoing a course of therapeutic radiation to the region of the affected eye before the clinical worsening of congenital cataract; or

(d)       suffering penetrating trauma to the lens of the affected eye before the clinical worsening of congenital cataract; or

(e)       receiving a therapeutic course of corticosteroids for at least twelve months immediately before the clinical worsening of congenital cataract; or

(f)        inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for the congenital cataract.

2.         Subject to clause 3 (below) the factors set out in paragraph 1(a) to 1(f)  must be related to any service rendered by a person.

3.      The factors set out in paragraph 1(a) to 1(f) apply only where:

(a)       the person's congenital cataract developed before a period, or part of a period, of service to which the factor is related; and

(b)       the relationship suggested between the congenital cataract and the particular service of a person is a relationship set out in paragraph 8(1)(e), 9(1)(e), 70(5)(d) or 70(5A)(d) of the Act.

4.      For the purposes of this Statement of Principles:

“congenital cataract” means an opacity, partial or complete, of one or both eyes, on or in the lens or capsule causing impaired vision or blindness, present at birth or in youth as a result of a congenitally caused defect, attracting an ICD code in the range 743.30 - 743.34 ;

“course” means five or more episodes of treatment within a 125 day period;

“glaucoma” means one of a group of eye diseases characterised by an increase in intraocular pressure which causes pathological changes in the optic disc and typical defects in the vision, attracting ICD code 365;

“ICD code” means a number assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in the tenth edition of the International Classification of Diseases 9th Revision, effective date of 1 October 1993, copyrighted by the US Commission on Professional and Hospital Activities, and having the Library of Congress number 77-94472;

“penetrating trauma to the lens” means penetrating injury to the lens of the affected eye and can include surgical procedures to the lens of the affected eye, attracting ICD code 871 or 998.89;

“therapeutic radiation” means medical treatment by irradiation to the person with gamma rays, x-rays, alpha particles or beta particles.

Notes to Statement of Principles concerning congenital cataract (Instrument No. 237 of 1995)

The Statement of Principles concerning congenital cataract (Instrument No. 237 of 1995) in force under section 196B(2) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986, as shown in this compilation is amended as indicated in the Tables below.

Table of Instruments

Table of Amendments