Conjunctivitis — DVA SoP factors

Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 76 of 2020

At least one of the following factors must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting conjunctivitis or death from conjunctivitis with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:

1. (1)
   having blepharitis of the affected eye at the time of the clinical onset of conjunctivitis;
2. (2)
   having an infection of the conjunctiva of the affected eye at the time of the clinical onset of conjunctivitis;

   Note: infection of the conjunctiva is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

3. (3)
   having a condition of the affected eye from the specified list of conditions at the time of the clinical onset of conjunctivitis;

   Note: specified list of conditions is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

4. (4)
   having a condition that causes chronic lack of sufficient lubrication and moisture on the surface of the affected eye at the time of the clinical onset of conjunctivitis;

   Note: Examples of conditions associated with a chronic lack of sufficient lubrication and moisture on the surface of the eye include dysfunctional tear syndrome, keratoconjunctivitis sicca and Sjögren syndrome.

5. (5)
   having ocular or periocular exposure to an allergen within the 24 hours before the clinical onset of conjunctivitis; (5A) having a sensitising exposure to an allergen before the clinical onset of conjunctivitis;

   Note: allergen is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

   Note: sensitising exposure to an allergen is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

6. (6)
   having an autoimmune disease at the time of the clinical onset of conjunctivitis; Compilation No. 1 Compilation date: 19/09/2022 Authorised Version F2022C00926 registered 19/09/2022;
7. (7)
   having graft versus host disease at the time of the clinical onset of conjunctivitis;
8. (8)
   having diabetes mellitus at the time of the clinical onset of conjunctivitis;
9. (9)
   having topical medication applied to the affected eye within the 48 hours before the clinical onset of conjunctivitis;
10. (10)
    taking a drug from the specified list of drugs for at least the seven days before the clinical onset of conjunctivitis;

    Note: specified list of drugs is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

11. (11)
    taking a drug which is associated in the individual with the development of conjunctivitis during drug therapy and either: (a) the improvement of conjunctivitis within seven days of discontinuing or tapering drug therapy; or (b) the redevelopment of conjunctivitis on rechallenge with the same drug; where treatment with the drug continued for at least the seven days before the clinical onset of conjunctivitis;
12. (12)
    having ocular or periocular exposure to an irritant substance within the 24 hours before the clinical onset of conjunctivitis;

    Note: irritant substance is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

13. (13)
    having mustard gas exposure to the affected eye within the 24 hours before the clinical onset of conjunctivitis;
14. (14)
    having a foreign body in contact with the affected conjunctiva within the 24 hours before the clinical onset of conjunctivitis;
15. (15)
    having an injury to the conjunctiva of the affected eye within the 24 hours before the clinical onset of conjunctivitis;

    Note: injury to the conjunctiva is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

16. (16)
    undergoing a course of therapeutic radiation for cancer, where the region of the affected eye was in the field of radiation, at the time of the clinical onset of conjunctivitis;
17. (17)
    having a benign or malignant neoplasm affecting the conjunctiva or eyelid margin of the affected eye at the time of the clinical onset of conjunctivitis;
18. (18)
    being in an immunocompromised state as specified at the time of the clinical onset of conjunctivitis; Compilation No. 1 Compilation date: 19/09/2022 Authorised Version F2022C00926 registered 19/09/2022;

    Note: immunocompromised state as specified is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

19. (19)
    having blepharitis of the affected eye at the time of the clinical worsening of conjunctivitis;
20. (20)
    having an infection of the conjunctiva of the affected eye at the time of the clinical worsening of conjunctivitis;

    Note: infection of the conjunctiva is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

21. (21)
    having a condition of the affected eye from the specified list of conditions at the time of the clinical worsening of conjunctivitis;

    Note: specified list of conditions is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

22. (22)
    having a condition that causes chronic lack of sufficient lubrication and moisture on the surface of the affected eye at the time of the clinical worsening of conjunctivitis;

    Note: Examples of conditions associated with a chronic lack of sufficient lubrication and moisture on the surface of the eye include dysfunctional tear syndrome, keratoconjunctivitis sicca and Sjögren syndrome.

23. (23)
    having ocular or periocular exposure to an allergen within the 24 hours before the clinical worsening of conjunctivitis;

    Note: allergen is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

24. (24)
    having an autoimmune disease at the time of the clinical worsening of conjunctivitis;
25. (25)
    having graft versus host disease at the time of the clinical worsening of conjunctivitis;
26. (26)
    having diabetes mellitus at the time of the clinical worsening of conjunctivitis;
27. (27)
    having topical medication applied to the affected eye within the 48 hours before the clinical worsening of conjunctivitis;
28. (28)
    taking a drug from the specified list of drugs for at least the seven days before the clinical worsening of conjunctivitis;

    Note: specified list of drugs is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

29. (29)
    taking a drug which is associated in the individual with: (a) the worsening of conjunctivitis during drug therapy; and (b) the improvement of conjunctivitis within seven days of discontinuing or tapering drug therapy; where treatment with the drug continued for at least the seven days before the clinical worsening of conjunctivitis; Compilation No. 1 Compilation date: 19/09/2022 Authorised Version F2022C00926 registered 19/09/2022;
30. (30)
    having ocular or periocular exposure to an irritant substance within the 24 hours before the clinical worsening of conjunctivitis;

    Note: irritant substance is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

31. (31)
    having mustard gas exposure to the affected eye within the 24 hours before the clinical worsening of conjunctivitis;
32. (32)
    having a foreign body in contact with the affected conjunctiva within the 24 hours before the clinical worsening of conjunctivitis;
33. (33)
    having an injury to the conjunctiva of the affected eye within the 24 hours before the clinical worsening of conjunctivitis;

    Note: injury to the conjunctiva is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

34. (34)
    undergoing a course of therapeutic radiation for cancer, where the region of the affected eye was in the field of radiation, at the time of the clinical worsening of conjunctivitis;
35. (35)
    having a benign or malignant neoplasm affecting the conjunctiva or eyelid margin of the affected eye at the time of the clinical worsening of conjunctivitis;
36. (36)
    being in an immunocompromised state as specified at the time of the clinical worsening of conjunctivitis;

    Note: immunocompromised state as specified is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

37. (37)
    inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for conjunctivitis;

Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsections 9(19) to 9(37) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.