Version 2024

2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H34.81

Central retinal vein occlusion

ICD-10-CM Code:
H34.81
ICD-10 Code for:
Central retinal vein occlusion
Is Billable?
Not Valid for Submission
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Diseases of the eye and adnexa
    (H00–H59)
    • Disorders of choroid and retina
      (H30-H36)
      • Retinal vascular occlusions
        (H34)

H34.81 is a non-specific and non-billable diagnosis code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of central retinal vein occlusion. 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 Central retinal vein occlusion

Non-specific codes like H34.81 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 central retinal vein occlusion:

  • H34.811 for Central retinal vein occlusion, right eye - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use H34.8110 for with macular edema - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use H34.8111 for with retinal neovascularization - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use H34.8112 for stable - BILLABLE CODE

  • H34.812 for Central retinal vein occlusion, left eye - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use H34.8120 for with macular edema - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use H34.8121 for with retinal neovascularization - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use H34.8122 for stable - BILLABLE CODE

  • H34.813 for Central retinal vein occlusion, bilateral - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use H34.8130 for with macular edema - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use H34.8131 for with retinal neovascularization - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use H34.8132 for stable - BILLABLE CODE

  • H34.819 for Central retinal vein occlusion, unspecified eye - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use H34.8190 for with macular edema - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use H34.8191 for with retinal neovascularization - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use H34.8192 for stable - BILLABLE CODE

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The following annotation back-references are applicable to this diagnosis code. The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10-CM codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more.


7th Character Note

7th Character Note
Certain ICD-10-CM categories have applicable 7th characters. The applicable 7th character is required for all codes within the category, or as the notes in the Tabular List instruct. The 7th character must always be the 7th character in the data field. If a code that requires a 7th character is not 6 characters, a placeholder X must be used to fill in the empty characters.
  • One of the following 7th characters is to be assigned to codes in subcategory H34.81 to designate the severity of the occlusion:

7th Character

7th Character
Indicates that a seventh character is to be assigned to codes in a subcategory.
  • 0 - with macular edema
  • 1 - with retinal neovascularization
  • 2 - stable
  • Old central retinal vein occlusion

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


Retinal Disorders

The retina is a layer of tissue in the back of your eye that senses light and sends images to your brain. In the center of this nerve tissue is the macula. It provides the sharp, central vision needed for reading, driving and seeing fine detail.

Retinal disorders affect this vital tissue. They can affect your vision, and some can be serious enough to cause blindness. Examples are:

  • Macular degeneration - a disease that destroys your sharp, central vision
  • Diabetic eye disease
  • Retinal detachment - a medical emergency, when the retina is pulled away from the back of the eye
  • Retinoblastoma - cancer of the retina. It is most common in young children.
  • Macular pucker - scar tissue on the macula
  • Macular hole - a small break in the macula that usually happens to people over 60
  • Floaters - cobwebs or specks in your field of vision

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.