New ICD-10 Codes ODs Need to Know – October 1 Rollout

On October 1, 2016, hundreds of new ICD-10 codes that impact doctors of optometry will go into effect. Several additions and revisions have been made in Chapter 7 of the ICD-10 code set (Diseases of the eye and adnexa (H00-H59), codes commonly reported by doctors of optometry, in addition to many other code changes. Below are just a few of these important changes.  For a complete listing of the new codes, doctors should purchase the 2017 Codes for Optometry manual available at: https://store.aoa.org/.

New Codes for Amblyopia, AMD and Glaucoma

• New codes were added for amblyopia suspect: H53.04-Amblyopia suspect.
• New codes were added to the subcategory H35.31-Non-exudative age-related macular degeneration.
• New codes were added to the subcategory H35.32-Exudative age-related macular degeneration.
• New codes were added to the subcategory H40.11-Primary open-angle glaucoma.  

New and Revised Codes for Post-procedural Complications

For doctors who co-manage patients and provide post-surgical care, it will be especially important to be aware of the revisions that have occurred to various codes that capture diagnoses related to post-procedural complications.

• The subcategory H59.3 has been revised to capture additional diagnoses related to post-procedural seroma.

• New codes have been added to distinguish between when complications occur following an ophthalmic procedure and complications that occur following a procedure other than an ophthalmic procedure.

If you have coding questions, please contact AOA's coding experts or access AOA Coding Today, a comprehensive online coding resource, at www.aoa.org/coding. Additionally, CMS has updated its FAQ on ICD-10 that answers common questions on the revisions (see questions and answers 23-33).