2021 ICD-10-CM Code H53.149
Visual discomfort, unspecified
Valid for Submission
H53.149 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of visual discomfort, unspecified. The code H53.149 is valid during the fiscal year 2021 from October 01, 2020 through September 30, 2021 for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions.
The ICD-10-CM code H53.149 might also be used to specify conditions or terms like accommodative asthenopia, cutaneous syndrome with ichthyosis, eye strain, eye strain, eye strain , eyes sensitive to light, etc.
Unspecified diagnosis codes like H53.149 are acceptable when clinical information is unknown or not available about a particular condition. Although a more specific code is preferable, unspecified codes should be used when such codes most accurately reflect what is known about a patient's condition. Specific diagnosis codes should not be used if not supported by the patient's medical record.
| ICD-10: | H53.149 |
| Short Description: | Visual discomfort, unspecified |
| Long Description: | Visual discomfort, unspecified |
Code Classification
Approximate Synonyms
The following clinical terms are approximate synonyms or lay terms that might be used to identify the correct diagnosis code:
- Accommodative asthenopia
- Cutaneous syndrome with ichthyosis
- Eye strain
- Eye strain
- Eye strain
- Eyes sensitive to light
- Eyes tire easily
- General reaction to light - finding
- Ichthyosis follicularis with alopecia and photophobia
- Muscular asthenopia
- Nervous asthenopia
- Pain in eye
- Photophobia
- Visual discomfort
Diagnostic Related Groups - MS-DRG Mapping
The ICD-10 code H53.149 is grouped in the following groups for version MS-DRG V38.0 What are Diagnostic Related Groups?
The Diagnostic Related Groups (DRGs) are a patient classification scheme which provides a means of relating the type of patients a hospital treats. The DRGs divides all possible principal diagnoses into mutually exclusive principal diagnosis areas referred to as Major Diagnostic Categories (MDC). applicable from 10/01/2020 through 09/30/2021.
Convert H53.149 to ICD-9 Code
The General Equivalency Mapping (GEM) crosswalk indicates an approximate mapping between the ICD-10 code H53.149 its ICD-9 equivalent. The approximate mapping means there is not an exact match between the ICD-10 code and the ICD-9 code and the mapped code is not a precise representation of the original code.
- 368.13 - Visual discomfort (Approximate Flag)
Information for Patients
Vision Impairment and Blindness
Also called: Low vision
If you have low vision, eyeglasses, contact lenses, medicine, or surgery may not help. Activities like reading, shopping, cooking, writing, and watching TV may be hard to do. The leading causes of low vision and blindness in the United States are age-related eye diseases: macular degeneration, cataract and glaucoma. Other eye disorders, eye injuries, and birth defects can also cause vision loss.
Whatever the cause, lost vision cannot be restored. It can, however, be managed. A loss of vision means that you may have to reorganize your life and learn new ways of doing things. If you have some vision, visual aids such as special glasses and large print books can make life easier. There are also devices to help those with no vision, like text-reading software and braille books.
The sooner vision loss or eye disease is found and treated, the greater your chances of keeping your remaining vision. You should have regular comprehensive eye exams by an eye care professional.
NIH: National Eye Institute
- Blindness and vision loss (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Home vision tests (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Living with vision loss (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Vision - night blindness (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Vision problems (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)