2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H26.003

Unspecified infantile and juvenile cataract, bilateral

ICD-10-CM Code:
H26.003
ICD-10 Code for:
Unspecified infantile and juvenile cataract, bilateral
Is Billable?
Yes - Valid for Submission
Chronic Condition Indicator: [1]
Chronic
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

H26.003 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of unspecified infantile and juvenile cataract, bilateral. The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2023 through September 30, 2024.

The code H26.003 is applicable for patients aged 0 through 17 years inclusive. It is clinically and virtually impossible to use this code on a patient outside the stated age range.

Unspecified diagnosis codes like H26.003 are acceptable when clinical information is unknown or not available about a particular condition. Although a more specific code is preferable, unspecified codes should be used when such codes most accurately reflect what is known about a patient's condition. Specific diagnosis codes should not be used if not supported by the patient's medical record.

Approximate Synonyms

The following clinical terms are approximate synonyms or lay terms that might be used to identify the correct diagnosis code:

  • Bilateral cataracts
  • Cataract of lens capsule of bilateral eyes
  • Presenile cataract
  • Presenile cataract of bilateral eyes
  • Presenile cataract of left eye
  • Presenile cataract of right eye
  • Total cataract of lens of bilateral eyes
  • Total cataract of lens of left eye
  • Total cataract of lens of right eye

Clinical Classification

Clinical Information

  • Acquired Bilateral Cataracts

    cataracts in both eyes that result from the aging process, an injury, or as a manifestation of a systemic disorder.
  • Bilateral Cataracts

    partial or complete opacity of the crystalline lens of both eyes that decreases visual acuity and eventually results in blindness. some cataracts appear in infancy or in childhood, but most develop in older individuals. (sternberg diagnostic surgical pathology, 3rd ed.)
  • Congenital Bilateral Cataracts|Cataract, Congenital, Bilateral

    cataract in both eyes that are present at birth.

Code Edits

The Medicare Code Editor (MCE) detects and reports errors in the coding of claims data. The following ICD-10-CM Code Edits are applicable to this code:

  • Pediatric diagnoses - The Medicare Code Editor detects inconsistencies in pediatric cases by checking a patient's age and any diagnosis on the patient's record. The pediatric code edits apply to patients age range is 0–17 years inclusive (e.g., Reye's syndrome, routine child health exam).

Convert H26.003 to ICD-9-CM

  • ICD-9-CM Code: 366.00 - Nonsenile cataract NOS
    Approximate Flag - The approximate mapping means there is not an exact match between the ICD-10 and ICD-9 codes and the mapped code is not a precise representation of the original code.

Patient Education


Cataract

A cataract is a clouding of the lens in your eye. It affects your vision. Cataracts are very common in older people. By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery.

A cataract can occur in either or both eyes. It cannot spread from one eye to the other. Common symptoms are:

  • Blurry vision
  • Colors that seem faded
  • Glare - headlights, lamps or sunlight may seem too bright. You may also see a halo around lights.
  • Not being able to see well at night
  • Double vision
  • Frequent prescription changes in your eye wear

Cataracts usually develop slowly. New glasses, brighter lighting, anti-glare sunglasses or magnifying lenses can help at first. Surgery is also an option. It involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with an artificial lens. Wearing sunglasses and a hat with a brim to block ultraviolet sunlight may help to delay cataracts.

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.

Footnotes

[1] Chronic - a chronic condition code indicates a condition lasting 12 months or longer and its effect on the patient based on one or both of the following criteria:

  • The condition results in the need for ongoing intervention with medical products,treatment, services, and special equipment
  • The condition places limitations on self-care, independent living, and social interactions.