2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H44.003Unspecified purulent endophthalmitis, bilateral

ICD-10-CM Codes›H00–H59›H43-H44›H44

ICD-10-CM H44.003
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

H44.003 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for unspecified purulent endophthalmitis, bilateral. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 121 through 122. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Uveitis and ocular inflammation.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
H44.003
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Unspecified purulent endophthalmitis, bilateral
Short Description
Unspecified purulent endophthalmitis, bilateral
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
H44.00
Unspecified purulent endophthalmitis

Code Classification

ChapterH00–H59Diseases of the eye and adnexa
SectionH43-H44Disorders of vitreous body and globe
CategoryH44Disorders of globe
This CodeH44.003Unspecified purulent endophthalmitis, bilateral

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Acute endophthalmitis
  • Acute endophthalmitis of left eye
  • Acute endophthalmitis of right eye
  • Bilateral acute endophthalmitis of eyes
  • Bilateral endophthalmitis of eyes
  • Bilateral purulent endophthalmitis
  • Endophthalmitis of left eye
  • Endophthalmitis of right eye
  • Infection of bilateral eyes
  • Left purulent endophthalmitis
  • Purulent endophthalmitis
  • Right purulent endophthalmitis

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR EYE004
Uveitis and ocular inflammation
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Eye Infections

Your eyes can get infections from bacteria, fungi, or viruses. Eye infections can occur in different parts of the eye and can affect just one eye or both. Two common eye infections are:

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert H44.003 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
360.00 Purulent endophthalm NOS
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.
ICD-9-CM
360.01 Acute endophthalmitis
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.
ICD-9-CM
360.03 Chronic endophthalmitis
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 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About H44.003Overview

Is H44.003 (Unspecified purulent endophthalmitis) a billable code?

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

What MS-DRG does H44.003 group to?

When unspecified purulent endophthalmitis, bilateral is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 121, 122, with relative weights from 0.7858 to 1.1633 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of H44.003?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, unspecified purulent endophthalmitis, bilateral converts to ICD-9-CM 360.00 (purulent endophthalm NOS), 360.01 (acute endophthalmitis), and 360.03 (chronic endophthalmitis). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.