2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H16.20

Unspecified keratoconjunctivitis

ICD-10-CM Code:
H16.20
ICD-10 Code for:
Unspecified keratoconjunctivitis
Is Billable?
Not Valid for Submission
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Diseases of the eye and adnexa
    (H00–H59)
    • Disorders of sclera, cornea, iris and ciliary body
      (H15-H22)
      • Keratitis
        (H16)

H16.20 is a non-specific and non-billable diagnosis code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of unspecified keratoconjunctivitis. The code is not specific and is NOT valid for the year 2024 for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions. Category or Header define the heading of a category of codes that may be further subdivided by the use of 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th characters.

Unspecified diagnosis codes like H16.20 are acceptable when clinical information is unknown or not available about a particular condition. Although a more specific code is preferable, unspecified codes should be used when such codes most accurately reflect what is known about a patient's condition. Specific diagnosis codes should not be used if not supported by the patient's medical record.

Specific Coding Applicable to Unspecified keratoconjunctivitis

Non-specific codes like H16.20 require more digits to indicate the appropriate level of specificity. Consider using any of the following ICD-10-CM codes with a higher level of specificity when coding for unspecified keratoconjunctivitis:

  • Use H16.201 for Unspecified keratoconjunctivitis, right eye - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use H16.202 for Unspecified keratoconjunctivitis, left eye - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use H16.203 for Unspecified keratoconjunctivitis, bilateral - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use H16.209 for Unspecified keratoconjunctivitis, unspecified eye - BILLABLE CODE

Clinical Information

  • Conjunctivitis, Allergic

    conjunctivitis due to hypersensitivity to various allergens.
  • Keratoconjunctivitis

    simultaneous inflammation of the cornea and conjunctiva.
  • Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca

    drying and inflammation of the conjunctiva as a result of insufficient lacrimal secretion. when found in association with xerostomia and polyarthritis, it is called sjogren's syndrome.
  • Keratoconjunctivitis, Infectious

    infectious diseases of cattle, sheep, and goats, characterized by blepharospasm, lacrimation, conjunctivitis, and varying degrees of corneal opacity and ulceration. in cattle the causative agent is moraxella (moraxella) bovis; in sheep, mycoplasma; rickettsia; chlamydia; or acholeplasma; in goats, rickettsia.
  • Dry Eye Syndrome|Dry Eye|Dry Eye(s)|Dry eye|Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca

    a syndrome characterized by dryness of the cornea and conjunctiva. it is usually caused by a deficiency in tear production. symptoms include a feeling of burning eyes and a possible foreign body presence in the eye.
  • Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis

    keratoconjunctivitis resulting from infection by adenoviruses.
  • Keratoconjunctivitis

    inflammation of both the cornea and the conjunctiva.
  • Sicca Syndrome with Keratoconjunctivitis|Sicca syndrome with keratoconjunctivitis

    evidence of sicca syndrome with keratoconjunctivitis.

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The following annotation back-references are applicable to this diagnosis code. The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10-CM codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more.


Inclusion Terms

Inclusion Terms
These terms are the conditions for which that code is to be used. The terms may be synonyms of the code title, or, in the case of "other specified" codes, the terms are a list of the various conditions assigned to that code. The inclusion terms are not necessarily exhaustive. Additional terms found only in the Alphabetic Index may also be assigned to a code.
  • Superficial keratitis with conjunctivitis NOS

Index to Diseases and Injuries References

The following annotation back-references for this diagnosis code are found in the injuries and diseases index. The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10-CM code(s).

Patient Education


Corneal Disorders

Your cornea is the outermost layer of your eye. It is clear and shaped like a dome. The cornea helps to shield the rest of the eye from germs, dust, and other harmful matter. It also helps your eye to focus. If you wear contact lenses, they float on top of your corneas.

Problems with the cornea include:

  • Refractive errors
  • Allergies
  • Infections
  • Injuries
  • Dystrophies - conditions in which parts of the cornea lose clarity due to a buildup of cloudy material

Treatments of corneal disorders include medicines, corneal transplantation, and corneal laser surgery.

NIH: National Eye Institute


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.