By Judy Monestime bio
Chapter 7 is a new chapter in ICD-10 CM. No, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you; in ICD-10 CM, they get their own chapter. These conditions were previously included with Chapter 6, Diseases of the Nervous System and Sense Organs chapter in ICD-9 CM. Now they are covered in ICD-10 CM Chapter 7: Diseases of the Eye and Adnexa (H00-H59). ICD-10 is the new coding set which must be in use by Oct. 1, 2015.
Chapter 7 of ICD-10 CM contains specific codes for diseases of the eye that include infections, inflammation, lesions, deformities, and visual impairments among the many afflictions that a person can experience in the eye and the supporting structures.
Coding diseases of the eye requires the coder’s attention to detail including the distinct forms of the disease and whether the condition occurs on the right side, left side, or is present in both eyes. Important: If bilateral is not available, coders are to assign a code for right and left.
The terminology for some of the categories in Chapter 7 has been updated to reflect current usage. For example, the term “Senile Cataract” has been updated to “Age-Related Cataract.”
Anatomy knowledge will become more and more important with ICD-10. The eye has several structures and parts from the conjunctiva (H10-H11) to the cornea (H15-H22) to the lens (H25-H28).
Let’s practice! How do you code the following?
This 60-year-old man presents to his physician with bilateral eye pain. His condition is diagnosed as nonulcerative bilateral blepharitis of the upper eyelids. What is the correct diagnosis coding for this case?
H01.001 Blepharitis (angularis) (ciliaris) (eyelid) (marginal) (nonulcerative), right, upper eyelid
H01.004 Blepharitis (angularis) (ciliaris) (eyelid) (marginal) (nonulcerative), left, upper eyelid
Rationale: Coders are instructed, “If bilateral is not available, assign a code for right and left.”
Judy Monestime, MBA, CDIP, CPC, is an AHIMA-approved ICD-10-CM/PCS trainer.
