2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H16.229Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, not specified as Sjogren's, unspecified eye
ICD-10-CM Codes›H00–H59›H15-H22›H16
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- Chronic Condition
H16.229 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for keratoconjunctivitis sicca, not specified as Sjogren's, unspecified eye. 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 dry eyes. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Cornea and external disease.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Dry eyes
- Keratoconjunctivitis sicca
- Keratoconjunctivitis sicca due to graft-versus-host disease
- Mucous membrane dryness
- Sicca syndrome
Instructional NotesGuidance
Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to H16.229: its own notes plus those printed at H16.22 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.
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.
- 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.
- 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 H16.229, its category, or a range that includes it.
Excludes1 2
These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming H16.229: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.
Excludes2 1
These codes carry an Excludes2 note naming H16.229: its condition is not part of those codes, and both may be reported when the patient has both.
Use Additional Code 1
These codes say to use an additional code from the note, and H16.229 is one of the codes named.
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Clinical InformationClinical
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.
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 H16.229 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About H16.229Overview
Is H16.229 (Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, not specified as Sjogren's) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report keratoconjunctivitis sicca, not specified as Sjogren's, unspecified eye on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
What MS-DRG does H16.229 group to?
When keratoconjunctivitis sicca, not specified as Sjogren's, unspecified eye 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 H16.229 be reported with M35.01?
Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note at H16.22, which applies to H16.229, lists "Sjögren's syndrome (M35.01)". 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 H16.229?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, not specified as Sjogren's, unspecified eye converts to ICD-9-CM 370.33 (keratoconjunctivit sicca). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.
