Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022C00920:front:0:p2
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022C00920
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 2920–6064

(Balance of Probabilities) (No. 51 of 2020).
     3               Authority
This instrument is made under subsection 196B(3) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.
     5               Application
This instrument applies to a claim to which section 120B of the VEA or section 339 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 applies.
     6               Definitions
The terms defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary have the meaning given when used in this instrument.
     7               Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates
(1)          This Statement of Principles is about retinal vascular occlusion and death from retinal vascular occlusion.
Meaning of retinal vascular occlusion
(2)          For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, retinal vascular occlusion:
(a)          means obstruction to blood flow in either:
(i)            the retinal artery or its branches; or
(ii)         the retinal vein or its tributaries;
leading to visual impairment; and
(b)          excludes ischaemic optic neuropathy and ophthalmic artery occlusion.
             Note 1: Retinal vascular occlusion typically causes painless vision loss, ranging from mild to severe, and usually occurs suddenly. It may be accompanied by retinal ischaemia, macular oedema or retinal neovascularisation.
            Note 2: Retinal vascular occlusion may manifest as transient monocular visual loss.
(3)          While retinal vascular occlusion attracts ICD‑10‑AM code H34, in applying this Statement of Principles the meaning of retinal vascular occlusion is that given in subsection (2).
(4)          For subsection (3), a reference to an ICD-10-AM code is a reference to the code assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), Tenth Edition, effective date of 1 July 2017, copyrighted by the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, ISBN 978-1-76007-296-4.
Death from retinal vascular occlusion
(5)          For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, retinal vascular occlusion, in relation to a person, includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person's retinal vascular occlusion.
Note: terminal event is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.
     8               Basis for determining the factors
On the sound medical‑scientific evidence available, the Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that it is more probable than not that retinal vascular occlusion and death from retinal vascular occlusion can be related to relevant service rendered by veterans or members of the Forces under the VEA, or members under the MRCA.
Note: MRCA, relevant service and VEA are defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.
     9               Factors that must exist
At least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, retinal vascular occlusion or death from retinal vascular occlusion is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
(1)