Version 2024

2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H16.42

Pannus (corneal)

ICD-10-CM Code:
H16.42
ICD-10 Code for:
Pannus (corneal)
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)

H16.42 is a non-specific and non-billable diagnosis code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of pannus (corneal). 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.

Specific Coding Applicable to Pannus (corneal)

Non-specific codes like H16.42 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 pannus (corneal):

  • Use H16.421 for Pannus (corneal), right eye - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use H16.422 for Pannus (corneal), left eye - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use H16.423 for Pannus (corneal), bilateral - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use H16.429 for Pannus (corneal), unspecified eye - BILLABLE CODE

Clinical Information

  • Pannus

    a genus of cyanobacteria in the family synechococcaceae that is free-floating and occurs in various water environments attaching to algae and submersed plants.
  • Cyanobacteria

    a phylum of oxygenic photosynthetic bacteria comprised of unicellular to multicellular bacteria possessing chlorophyll a and carrying out oxygenic photosynthesis. cyanobacteria are the only known organisms capable of fixing both carbon dioxide (in the presence of light) and nitrogen. cell morphology can include nitrogen-fixing heterocysts and/or resting cells called akinetes. formerly called blue-green algae, cyanobacteria were traditionally treated as algae.

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.