2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H53.003Unspecified amblyopia, bilateral

ICD-10-CM Codes›H00–H59›H53-H54›H53

ICD-10-CM H53.003
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

H53.003 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for unspecified amblyopia, bilateral. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 124 through 125. Coders also document this condition as amblyopia of left eye. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Blindness and vision defects.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
H53.003
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Unspecified amblyopia, bilateral
Short Description
Unspecified amblyopia, bilateral
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
H53.00
Unspecified amblyopia

Code Classification

ChapterH00–H59Diseases of the eye and adnexa
SectionH53-H54Visual disturbances and blindness
CategoryH53Visual disturbances
This CodeH53.003Unspecified amblyopia, bilateral

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Amblyopia of left eye
  • Amblyopia of right eye
  • Bilateral amblyopia

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR EYE010
Blindness and vision defects
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Amblyopia

    a nonspecific term referring to impaired vision. major subcategories include stimulus deprivation-induced amblyopia and toxic amblyopia. stimulus deprivation-induced amblyopia is a developmental disorder of the visual cortex. a discrepancy between visual information received by the visual cortex from each eye results in abnormal cortical development. strabismus and refractive errors may cause this condition. toxic amblyopia is a disorder of the optic nerve which is associated with alcoholism, tobacco smoking, and other toxins and as an adverse effect of the use of some medications.

Patient EducationClinical

Amblyopia

Amblyopia, or "lazy eye," is the most common cause of visual impairment in children. It happens when an eye fails to work properly with the brain. The eye may look normal, but the brain favors the other eye. In some cases, it can affect both eyes. Causes include:

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert H53.003 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
368.00 Amblyopia NOS
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 H53.003Overview

Is H53.003 (Unspecified amblyopia) a billable code?

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

What MS-DRG does H53.003 group to?

When unspecified amblyopia, bilateral is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 124, 125, with relative weights from 0.7678 to 1.3231 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of H53.003?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, unspecified amblyopia, bilateral converts to ICD-9-CM 368.00 (amblyopia NOS). 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.