2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H26.9Unspecified cataract

ICD-10-CM Codes›H00–H59›H25-H28›H26

ICD-10-CM H26.9
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

H26.9 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for unspecified cataract. 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. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Cataract and other lens disorders.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
H26.9
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Unspecified cataract
Short Description
Unspecified cataract
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
H26
Other cataract

Code Classification

ChapterH00–H59Diseases of the eye and adnexa
SectionH25-H28Disorders of lens
CategoryH26Other cataract
This CodeH26.9Unspecified cataract

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Anterior capsular lens opacities
  • Anterior lens opacities
  • Anterior subcapsular lens opacities
  • Autosomal dominant optic atrophy and cataract
  • Bilateral cataracts
  • Body height below reference range
  • Cardiomyopathy with cataract and hip spine disease syndrome
  • Cataract
  • Cataract maturity - finding
  • Cataract of left eye
  • Cataract of left eye present
  • Cataract of lens capsule of bilateral eyes
  • Cataract of lens capsule of left eye
  • Cataract of lens capsule of right eye
  • Cataract of right eye
  • Cataract of right eye present
  • Cataract present
  • Cataract, growth hormone deficiency, sensory neuropathy, sensorineural hearing loss, skeletal dysplasia syndrome
  • Cochleosaccular degeneration and cataract syndrome
  • Cortical lens opacities
  • Cupuliform cataract
  • Dominant hereditary optic atrophy
  • Early opacity of lens
  • Hereditary growth hormone deficiency
  • Hereditary sensory neuropathy
  • Hypertrophic mitochondrial cardiomyopathy
  • Hypertrophic mitochondrial cardiomyopathy associated with cataracts and lactic acidosis
  • Immature cataract
  • Inherited cochlear degeneration
  • Interlenticular opacification
  • Lens capsule clarity in pseudophakia - finding
  • Lens capsule in pseudophakia finding
  • Lens capsule opacity in pseudophakia
  • Microcornea, rod-cone dystrophy, cataract, posterior staphyloma syndrome
  • Non age-related cataract of bilateral eyes
  • Non age-related cataract of left eye
  • Non age-related cataract of right eye
  • Nonsenile cataract
  • Opacification of intraocular lens
  • Partial cataract
  • Sensory neuropathy
  • Severe neurodevelopmental disorder with feeding difficulties, stereotypic hand movement, bilateral cataract
  • Spontaneous reabsorption of cataract
  • Stationary cataract
  • Total cataract of lens of bilateral eyes
  • Total cataract of lens of left eye
  • Total cataract of lens of right eye

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.

    • Cataract(cortical) (immature) (incipient)

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR EYE002
Cataract and other lens disorders
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Capsule Opacification

    clouding or loss of transparency of the posterior lens capsule, usually following cataract extraction.

  • Cataract

    partial or complete opacity on or in the lens or capsule of one or both eyes, impairing vision or causing blindness. the many kinds of cataract are classified by their morphology (size, shape, location) or etiology (cause and time of occurrence). (dorland, 27th ed)

  • Cataract Extraction

    the removal of a cataractous crystalline lens from the eye.

  • 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.

Patient EducationClinical

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.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert H26.9 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
366.9 Cataract NOS
Exact Match The mapping is direct, with no qualifiers.

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 H26.9Overview

Is H26.9 (Other cataract) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report unspecified cataract on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does H26.9 group to?

When unspecified cataract 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 H26.9?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, unspecified cataract converts to ICD-9-CM 366.9 (cataract NOS). The mapping is a direct match.

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.