2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H33.20Serous retinal detachment, unspecified eye

ICD-10-CM Codes›H00–H59›H30-H36›H33

ICD-10-CM H33.20
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

H33.20 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for serous retinal detachment, 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. As a secondary diagnosis, it counts as a complication or comorbidity (CC) and moves an inpatient stay to a higher severity level within its MS-DRG family. It does not count, however, when the principal diagnosis is one of 74 closely related codes. The code is flagged as an unspecified code, since codes identifying laterality exist in the same family. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Retinal and vitreous conditions.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
H33.20
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Serous retinal detachment, unspecified eye
Short Description
Serous retinal detachment, unspecified eye
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
H33.2
Serous retinal detachment

Code Classification

ChapterH00–H59Diseases of the eye and adnexa
SectionH30-H36Disorders of choroid and retina
CategoryH33Retinal detachments and breaks
This CodeH33.20Serous retinal detachment, unspecified eye

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for H33.20.

Unspecified codes
Unspecified codes exist in the ICD-10-CM classification for circumstances when documentation in the medical record does not provide the level of detail needed to support reporting a more specific code. However, in the inpatient setting, there should generally be very limited and rare circumstances for which the laterality (right, left, bilateral) of a condition is unable to be documented and reported. The following pages contain the list of unspecified ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes for which there is a more specific code to identify laterality (right, left, bilateral) within that code family.

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Glaucoma due to retinal detachment
  • Occipital encephalocele
  • Old retinal detachment
  • Partial retinal detachment
  • Recent retinal detachment
  • Retinal detachment
  • Retinal detachment and occipital encephalocele
  • Retinal detachment without retinal defect
  • Secondary ocular hypertension due to retinal detachment
  • Serous macular detachment
  • Serous retinal detachment

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to H33.20: its own notes plus those printed at H33.2, H33, 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.

From H33.2 Serous retinal detachment applies to 4 codes
  • central serous chorioretinopathy (H35.71-)
From H33 Retinal detachments and breaks applies to 65 codes

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.

From Chapter 7 (H00-H59) Diseases of the eye and adnexa applies to 2,677 codes
  • 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.

From Chapter 7 (H00-H59) Diseases of the eye and adnexa applies to 2,677 codes
  • 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 H33.20, its category, or a range that includes it.

Excludes1 2

These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming H33.20: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

  • H33.0 Retinal detachment with retinal break
    serous retinal detachment (without retinal break) (H33.2-) names H33.2-, which includes this code
  • H35.7 Separation of retinal layers
    retinal detachment (serous) (H33.2-) names H33.2-, which includes this code

Use Additional Code 1

These codes say to use an additional code from the note, and H33.20 is one of the codes named.

  • H44.2C Degenerative myopia with retinal detachment
    code to identify the retinal detachment (H33.-) names H33.-, which includes this code

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR EYE005
Retinal and vitreous conditions
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Serous Retinal Detachment

    retinal detachment secondary to fluid accumulation under the neurosensory retina without a retinal tear or break.

Patient EducationClinical

Retinal Detachment

The retina is a layer of tissue in the back of your eye that senses light and sends images to your brain. It provides the sharp, central vision needed for reading, driving, and seeing fine detail. A retinal detachment lifts or pulls the retina from its normal position.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert H33.20 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
361.2 Serous retina detachment
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 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About H33.20Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for serous retinal detachment, unspecified eye?

The ICD-10-CM code for serous retinal detachment, unspecified eye is H33.20 (sometimes written as H3320). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Is H33.20 (Serous retinal detachment) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report serous retinal detachment, unspecified eye on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What MS-DRG does H33.20 group to?

When serous retinal detachment, 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.

Is H33.20 a CC or MCC?

CMS lists H33.20 as a CC (complication or comorbidity) for FY 2027. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, it moves the inpatient stay to a higher-weighted DRG within its severity family. It does not count when the principal diagnosis is one of the 74 closely related codes in its exclusion list.

Can H33.20 be reported with a code from H35.71?

Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note at H33.2, which applies to H33.20, lists "central serous chorioretinopathy (H35.71-)". 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).