2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code A54.33Gonococcal keratitis
ICD-10-CM Codes›A00–B99›A50-A64›A54
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- CC — Complication or Comorbidity
- Not Chronic
A54.33 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for gonococcal keratitis. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 124 through 125. As a secondary diagnosis, it counts as a complication or comorbidity (CC) and moves an inpatient stay to a higher severity level within its MS-DRG family. It does not count, however, when the principal diagnosis is one of 149 closely related codes. Coders also document this condition as bilateral gonococcal keratitis. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Cornea and external disease and Sexually transmitted infections (excluding HIV and hepatitis).
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Bilateral gonococcal keratitis
- Bilateral keratitis of eyes caused by bacteria
- Gonococcal keratitis
- Infection of bilateral eyes caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae
- Infection of left eye caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae
- Infection of right eye caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae
- Keratitis of left eye caused by bacteria
- Keratitis of right eye caused by bacteria
- Left gonococcal keratitis
- Right gonococcal keratitis
Instructional NotesGuidance
Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to A54.33: its own notes plus those printed at block A50-A64 and Chapter 1. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.
Includes
Further defines, or gives examples of, the content of the category.
- diseases generally recognized as communicable or transmissible
Excludes1
Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.
Excludes2
Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.
- human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] disease (B20)
- carrier or suspected carrier of infectious disease (Z22.-)
- certain localized infections - see body system-related chapters
- infectious and parasitic diseases complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O98.-)
- infectious and parasitic diseases specific to the perinatal period (P35-P39)
- influenza and other acute respiratory infections (J00-J22)
Use Additional Code
Add a second code, after this one, to fully describe the condition.
- code to identify resistance to antimicrobial drugs (Z16.-)
Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.
Referenced in Other NotesGuidance
Instructional notes printed at other codes that name A54.33, its category, or a range that includes it.
Applicable To 1
These notes mention A54.33.
Excludes2 1
These codes carry an Excludes2 note naming A54.33: its condition is not part of those codes, and both may be reported when the patient has both.
- Block P35-P39 Infections specific to the perinatal periodcongenital gonococcal infection (A54.-) names A54.-, which includes this code
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.
Gonococcus, gonococcal (disease) (infection) See Also: condition; A54.9
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Clinical InformationClinical
Gonococcal Infection
an infection that is caused by gonococcus.
Patient EducationClinical
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.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert A54.33 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About A54.33Overview
What is the ICD-10 code for gonococcal keratitis?
The ICD-10-CM code for gonococcal keratitis is A54.33 (sometimes written as A5433). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
Is A54.33 (Gonococcal infection of eye) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report gonococcal keratitis on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
What MS-DRG does A54.33 group to?
When gonococcal keratitis is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 125, 124, with relative weights from 0.7699 to 1.2470 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Is A54.33 a CC or MCC?
CMS lists A54.33 as a CC (complication or comorbidity) for FY 2027. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, it moves the inpatient stay to a higher-weighted DRG within its severity family. It does not count when the principal diagnosis is one of the 149 closely related codes in its exclusion list.
Can A54.33 be reported with N34.1?
Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note at block A50-A64, which applies to A54.33, lists "nonspecific and nongonococcal urethritis (N34.1)". An Excludes1 note means the excluded code is never reported together with this one; the only exception is when the two conditions are unrelated to each other (Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
