2026 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 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

H10.44 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for vernal conjunctivitis. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) 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

Tabular List NotesGuidance

Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.

Type 1 Excludes

  • vernal keratoconjunctivitis with limbar and corneal involvement H16.26

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Conjunctivitis(staphylococcal) (streptococcal) NOS
      • allergic (acute)
        • chronic
          • vernal
    • Conjunctivitis(staphylococcal) (streptococcal) NOS
      • chronic (nodosa) (petrificans) (phlyctenular)
        • allergic
          • vernal
    • Conjunctivitis(staphylococcal) (streptococcal) NOS
      • chronic (nodosa) (petrificans) (phlyctenular)
        • vernal

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.

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 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About H10.44Overview

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, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does H10.44 group to?

When vernal conjunctivitis is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 124, 125, with relative weights from 0.7678 to 1.3231 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

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.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.