2021 ICD-10-CM Code H44.2 - Degenerative myopia

Not Valid for Submission

H44.2 is a "header" nonspecific and non-billable diagnosis code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of degenerative myopia. The code is NOT valid for the year 2021 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.

Code Classification

Diseases of the eye and adnexa (H00–H59)
- Disorders of vitreous body and globe (H43-H44)
  - Disorders of globe (H44)

Specific Coding for Degenerative myopia

Header codes like H44.2 require more digits to indicate the appropriate level of specificity. Consider using any of the following ICD-10 codes with a higher level of specificity when coding for degenerative myopia:

H44.20 - ... unspecified eye
H44.21 - ... right eye
H44.22 - ... left eye
H44.23 - ... bilateral
H44.2A - Degenerative myopia with choroidal neovascularization
H44.2A1 - Degenerative myopia with choroidal neovascularization, right eye
H44.2A2 - Degenerative myopia with choroidal neovascularization, left eye
H44.2A3 - Degenerative myopia with choroidal neovascularization, bilateral eye
H44.2A9 - Degenerative myopia with choroidal neovascularization, unspecified eye
H44.2B - Degenerative myopia with macular hole
H44.2B1 - Degenerative myopia with macular hole, right eye
H44.2B2 - Degenerative myopia with macular hole, left eye
H44.2B3 - Degenerative myopia with macular hole, bilateral eye
H44.2B9 - Degenerative myopia with macular hole, unspecified eye
H44.2C - Degenerative myopia with retinal detachment
H44.2C1 - Degenerative myopia with retinal detachment, right eye
H44.2C2 - Degenerative myopia with retinal detachment, left eye
H44.2C3 - Degenerative myopia with retinal detachment, bilateral eye
H44.2C9 - Degenerative myopia with retinal detachment, unspecified eye
H44.2D - Degenerative myopia with foveoschisis
H44.2D1 - Degenerative myopia with foveoschisis, right eye
H44.2D2 - Degenerative myopia with foveoschisis, left eye
H44.2D3 - Degenerative myopia with foveoschisis, bilateral eye
H44.2D9 - Degenerative myopia with foveoschisis, unspecified eye
H44.2E - Degenerative myopia with other maculopathy
H44.2E1 - Degenerative myopia with other maculopathy, right eye
H44.2E2 - Degenerative myopia with other maculopathy, left eye
H44.2E3 - Degenerative myopia with other maculopathy, bilateral eye
H44.2E9 - Degenerative myopia with other maculopathy, unspecified eye

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10 codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more. The following references are applicable to the code H44.2:

Inclusion Terms

Malignant myopia

Index to Diseases and Injuries

The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10 code(s). The following references for the code H44.2 are found in the index:

- Change (s) (in) (of) - See Also: Removal;
- - retina - H35.9
  - - myopic - See Also: Myopia, degenerative; - H44.2

- Chorioretinitis - See Also: Inflammation, chorioretinal;
- - progressive myopia (degeneration) - See Also: Myopia, degenerative; - H44.2

- Disorder (of) - See Also: Disease;
- - globe - H44.9
  - - degenerative - H44.30
    - - myopia - See Also: Myopia, degenerative; - H44.2

- Fuchs'
- - black spot (myopic) - See Also: Myopia, degenerative; - H44.2

- Myopia (axial) (congenital) - H52.1
- - malignant - See Also: Myopia, degenerative; - H44.2
- - pernicious - See Also: Myopia, degenerative; - H44.2
- - progressive high (degenerative) - See Also: Myopia, degenerative; - H44.2

- Spots, spotting (in) (of)
- - Fuchs' black (myopic) - See Also: Myopia, degenerative; - H44.2

- Syndrome - See Also: Disease;
- - Terry's - See Also: Myopia, degenerative; - H44.2

- Terry's syndrome - See Also: Myopia, degenerative; - H44.2

Clinical Information

MYOPIA DEGENERATIVE-. excessive axial myopia associated with complications especially posterior staphyloma and choroidal neovascularization that can lead to blindness.

Information for Patients

Refractive Errors

Also called: Farsightedness, Hyperopia, Myopia, Nearsightedness

The cornea and lens of your eye helps you focus. Refractive errors are vision problems that happen when the shape of the eye keeps you from focusing well. The cause could be the length of the eyeball (longer or shorter), changes in the shape of the cornea, or aging of the lens.

Four common refractive errors are

Myopia, or nearsightedness - clear vision close up but blurry in the distance
Hyperopia, or farsightedness - clear vision in the distance but blurry close up
Presbyopia - inability to focus close up as a result of aging
Astigmatism - focus problems caused by the cornea

The most common symptom is blurred vision. Other symptoms may include double vision, haziness, glare or halos around bright lights, squinting, headaches, or eye strain.

Glasses or contact lenses can usually correct refractive errors. Laser eye surgery may also be a possibility.

NIH: National Eye Institute

Astigmatism (Medical Encyclopedia)
Facts about Presbyopia - NIH (National Eye Institute)
Farsightedness (Medical Encyclopedia)
Nearsightedness (Medical Encyclopedia)
Presbyopia (Medical Encyclopedia)
Refraction test (Medical Encyclopedia)

[Learn More]

Code History

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 (First year ICD-10-CM implemented into the HIPAA code set)

ICD-10:	H44.2
Short Description:	Degenerative myopia
Long Description:	Degenerative myopia