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Instrument No.117 of 1995

Statement of Principles

concerning

CHRONIC BLEPHARITIS

ICD CODE: 373.0

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986
subsection 196B(2)

1. Being of the view that there is sound medical-scientific evidence that indicates that chronic blepharitis and death from chronic blepharitis 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, that the factors that must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting chronic blepharitis or death from chronic blepharitis with the circumstances of that service, are:

(a) suffering from seborrhoeic dermatitis at the time of the clinical onset of chronic blepharitis; or

(b) suffering from ocular rosacea at the time of the clinical onset of chronic blepharitis; or

(d) suffering from Sezary's syndrome at the time of the clinical onset of chronic blepharitis; or

(e) suffering from conjunctivitis before the clinical worsening of chronic blepharitis; or

(f) being in an immuno-compromised state before the clinical worsening of chronic blepharitis; or

(g) being exposed to irritant substances before the clinical worsening of chronic blepharitis; or

(h) suffering from xerophthalmia before the clinical worsening of chronic blepharitis; or

(j) suffering from uveitis, scleritis or episcleritis before the clinical worsening of chronic blepharitis; or

(k) suffering from a stye before the clinical worsening of chronic blepharitis; or

(m) inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for the chronic blepharitis.

2. Subject to clause 3 (below) at least one of the factors set out in paragraphs 1(a) to 1(m) must be related to any service rendered by a person.

3. The factors set out in paragraphs 1(e) to 1(m) apply only where:

(a) the person’s chronic blepharitis was contracted before a period, or part of a period, of service to which the factor is related; and

(b) the relationship suggested between the chronic blepharitis 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:

“chronic blepharitis” means an inflammation of the eyelid margins lasting for more than 6 weeks, attracting ICD code 373.0;

“conjunctivitis” means inflammation of the conjunctiva, generally consisting of conjunctival hyperaemia associated with a discharge, attracting ICD code 370.3 to 370.4 or 372.0 to 372.3;

“episcleritis” means inflammation of the tissues overlying the sclera, attracting ICD code 379.00;

“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;

“immuno-compromised state” means a state where the immune response has been attenuated by administration of immunosuppressive drugs, or by irradiation, certain types of infection, malnutrition, or a malignant disease process;

“irritant substances” means substances causing an irritant effect such as dyes, oils, industrial chemicals, or tobacco smoke;

“ocular rosacea” means a chronic hyperemic disease of the skin involving the eye, attracting ICD code 695.3;

“Parkinson's disease” means a slowly progressive disease characterised by masklike facies, a characteristic tremoring of resting muscles, a slowing of voluntary movements, a festinating gait, peculiar posture and weakening of muscles, attracting ICD code 332.0;

“scleritis” means inflammation of the sclera, attracting ICD code 379.00;

“seborrhoeic dermatitis” means a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin characterised by exfoliation and pruritus, attracting ICD code 690;

“Sezary's syndrome” means a form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma manifested by generalised exfoliative erythroderma, intense pruritis, peripheral lymphadenopathy and abnormal hyperchromatic mononuclear cells in the skin, lymph nodes attracting ICD code 202.2;

“stye” a localised, purulent inflammatory staphylococcal infection of one of more sebaceous glands of the eyelid attracting ICD code 373.11;

“uveitis” means inflammation of part or all of the uvea, the middle tunic of the eye, attracting ICD code 364;

“xerophthalmia” means dryness of the conjuctiva and cornea, attracting ICD code 372.53.

Dated this Eighth day of March 1995

The Common Seal of the )

Repatriation Medical Authority )

was affixed to this instrument )

in the presence of: )

KEN DONALD

CHAIRMAN