Statement of Principles
concerning
BENIGN NEOPLASM OF THE EYE AND ADNEXA
(Reasonable Hypothesis)
(No. 41 of 2016)
The Repatriation Medical Authority determines the following Statement of Principles under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986.
Dated 22 April 2016
The Common Seal of the
Repatriation Medical Authority
was affixed to this instrument
at the direction of:
Professor Nicholas Saunders AO
Chairperson
Contents
2 Commencement
3 Authority
4 Revocation
5 Application
6 Definitions
7 Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates
8 Basis for determining the factors
9 Factors that must exist
10 Relationship to service
11 Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles
Schedule 1 - Dictionary
1 Definitions
1 Name
This is the Statement of Principles concerning benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 41 of 2016).
This instrument commences on 23 May 2016.
This instrument is made under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986.
The Statement of Principles concerning benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa No. 33 of 2008, as amended, made under subsections 196B(2) and (8) of the VEA is revoked.
This instrument applies to a claim to which section 120A of the VEA or section 338 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 applies.
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
Meaning of benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa
(2) For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa means:
(a) a non-malignant neoplastic proliferation of the cells of the eye classified according to site as conjunctiva, cornea, retina, choroid, ciliary body, lacrimal gland, lacrimal duct and orbit; and
(b) excludes benign neoplasms of eyelids, optic nerve, meninges and orbital bone; lipoma, haemangioma, lymphangioma, melanocytic naevi, neurofibromatosis, retinal vasoproliferative tumour and ocular surface squamous dysplasia.
(3) While benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa attracts ICD‑10‑AM code D31, in applying this Statement of Principles the meaning of benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa 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), Ninth Edition, effective date of 1 July 2015, copyrighted by the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, ISBN 978‑1‑76007‑020‑5.
Death from benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa
(5) For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa, in relation to a person, includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person’s benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa.
Note: terminal event is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.
8 Basis for determining the factors
The Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that there is sound medical‑scientific evidence that indicates that benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa and death from benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa can be related to relevant service rendered by veterans, members of Peacekeeping Forces, or members of the Forces under the VEA, or members under the MRCA.
Note: relevant service is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.
(1) for keratoacanthoma of the conjunctiva only, having sunlight exposure to the eye for a cumulative period of at least 2 250 hours while in a tropical area, or having equivalent sunlight exposure in other latitude zones, before the clinical onset of benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa;
Note: equivalent sunlight exposure in other latitude zones and tropical area are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(2) for papilloma of the conjunctiva only, acquiring persistent infection of the epithelium of the conjunctiva with a strain from the specified list of human papilloma virus (HPV) strains before the clinical onset of benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa;
Note: specified list of human papilloma virus (HPV) strains is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(3) for schwannoma of the eye and adnexa only, having received a cumulative equivalent dose of at least 0.1 sievert of ionising radiation to the eye or orbit at least five years before the clinical onset of benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa;
Note: cumulative equivalent dose and schwannoma are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(4) inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa.
(1) The existence in a person of any factor referred to in section 9, must be related to the relevant service rendered by the person.
(2) The factor set out in subsection 9(4) applies only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa where the person’s benign neoplasm of the eye and adnexa was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.
11 Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles
In this Statement of Principles:
(1) if a factor referred to in section 9 applies in relation to a person; and
(2) that factor refers to an injury or disease in respect of which a Statement of Principles has been determined under subsection 196B(2) of the VEA;
then the factors in that Statement of Principles apply in accordance with the terms of that Statement of Principles as in force from time to time.