2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H10.44Vernal conjunctivitis

ICD-10-CM Codes›H00–H59›H10-H11›H10

ICD-10-CM H10.44
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

H10.44 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for vernal conjunctivitis. 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. Coders also document this condition as chronic papillary vernal conjunctivitis. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Cornea and external disease.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
H10.44
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Vernal conjunctivitis
Short Description
Vernal conjunctivitis
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
H10.4
Chronic conjunctivitis

Code Classification

ChapterH00–H59Diseases of the eye and adnexa
SectionH10-H11Disorders of conjunctiva
CategoryH10Conjunctivitis
This CodeH10.44Vernal conjunctivitis

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Chronic papillary vernal conjunctivitis
  • Vernal conjunctivitis
  • Vernal conjunctivitis of bilateral eyes
  • Vernal conjunctivitis of left eye
  • Vernal conjunctivitis of right eye

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to H10.44: its own notes plus those printed at H10 and Chapter 7. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Excludes1

Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

On H10.44 itself
  • vernal keratoconjunctivitis with limbar and corneal involvement (H16.26-)
From H10 Conjunctivitis applies to 72 codes

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.

From Chapter 7 (H00-H59) Diseases of the eye and adnexa applies to 2,677 codes
  • certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
  • certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
  • complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
  • congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
  • diabetes mellitus related eye conditions (E09.3-, E10.3-, E11.3-, E13.3-)
  • endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
  • injury (trauma) of eye and orbit (S05.-)
  • injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
  • neoplasms (C00-D49)
  • symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)
  • syphilis related eye disorders (A50.01, A50.3-, A51.43, A52.71)

Notes

General instructions on how these codes are used.

From Chapter 7 (H00-H59) Diseases of the eye and adnexa applies to 2,677 codes
  • Use an external cause code following the code for the eye condition, if applicable, to identify the cause of the eye condition

Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.

Referenced in Other NotesGuidance

Instructional notes printed at other codes that name H10.44, its category, or a range that includes it.

Excludes1 1

These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming H10.44: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

  • H16.26 Vernal keratoconjunctivitis, with limbar and corneal involvement
    vernal conjunctivitis without limbar and corneal involvement (H10.44)

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR EYE001
Cornea and external disease
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Vernal Conjunctivitis

    inflammation of the cornea that is seasonal in nature.

  • Conjunctivitis

    inflammation of the conjunctiva.

Patient EducationClinical

Pink Eye

Conjunctivitis is the medical name for pink eye. It involves inflammation of the outer layer of the eye and inside of the eyelid. It can cause swelling, itching, burning, discharge, and redness. Causes include:

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert H10.44 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
372.13 Vernal conjunctivitis
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About H10.44Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for vernal conjunctivitis?

The ICD-10-CM code for vernal conjunctivitis is H10.44 (sometimes written as H1044). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Is H10.44 (Chronic conjunctivitis) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report vernal conjunctivitis on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What MS-DRG does H10.44 group to?

When vernal conjunctivitis 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.

Can H10.44 be reported with a code from H16.26?

Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note on H10.44 lists "vernal keratoconjunctivitis with limbar and corneal involvement (H16.26-)". 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).

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of H10.44?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, vernal conjunctivitis converts to ICD-9-CM 372.13 (vernal conjunctivitis). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.