2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H53.131Sudden visual loss, right eye

ICD-10-CM Codes›H00–H59›H53-H54›H53

ICD-10-CM H53.131
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

H53.131 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for sudden visual loss, right eye. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 123. As a secondary diagnosis, it counts as a complication or comorbidity (CC) and moves an inpatient stay to a higher severity level within its MS-DRG family. It does not count, however, when the principal diagnosis is one of 13 closely related codes. Coders also document this condition as sudden visual loss. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Blindness and vision defects.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
H53.131
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Sudden visual loss, right eye
Short Description
Sudden visual loss, right eye
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
H53.13
Sudden visual loss

Code Classification

ChapterH00–H59Diseases of the eye and adnexa
SectionH53-H54Visual disturbances and blindness
CategoryH53Visual disturbances
This CodeH53.131Sudden visual loss, right eye

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Sudden visual loss
  • Sudden visual loss of right eye

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to H53.131: its own notes plus those printed at H53.1 and Chapter 7. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Excludes1

Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

From H53.1 Subjective visual disturbances applies to 17 codes
  • subjective visual disturbances due to vitamin A deficiency (E50.5)
  • visual hallucinations (R44.1)

Excludes2

Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.

From Chapter 7 (H00-H59) Diseases of the eye and adnexa applies to 2,677 codes
  • certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
  • certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
  • complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
  • congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
  • diabetes mellitus related eye conditions (E09.3-, E10.3-, E11.3-, E13.3-)
  • endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
  • injury (trauma) of eye and orbit (S05.-)
  • injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
  • neoplasms (C00-D49)
  • symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)
  • syphilis related eye disorders (A50.01, A50.3-, A51.43, A52.71)

Notes

General instructions on how these codes are used.

From Chapter 7 (H00-H59) Diseases of the eye and adnexa applies to 2,677 codes
  • Use an external cause code following the code for the eye condition, if applicable, to identify the cause of the eye condition

Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.

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

  • Visual Disturbance

    an interference to normal eyesight.

Patient EducationClinical

Vision Impairment and Blindness

Vision impairment is the loss of vision. It includes blindness, which means that you have lost all or most of your sight. It also includes low vision, which means you have some vision, but the vision loss makes it hard to do everyday activities. You may have trouble reading, shopping, cooking, writing, and watching TV.

The full article covers:

  • What is vision impairment?
  • What causes vision impairment?
  • How is vision impairment diagnosed?
  • What are the types of low vision?
  • What are the treatments for low vision?
  • How can I make the most of my remaining sight?
  • Can vision impairment be prevented?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert H53.131 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
368.11 Sudden visual loss
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 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About H53.131Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for sudden visual loss, right eye?

The ICD-10-CM code for sudden visual loss, right eye is H53.131 (sometimes written as H53131). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Is H53.131 (Sudden visual loss) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report sudden visual loss, right eye on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What MS-DRG does H53.131 group to?

When sudden visual loss, right eye is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 123 (neurological Eye Disorders), which carries a relative weight of 0.8218. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Is H53.131 a CC or MCC?

CMS lists H53.131 as a CC (complication or comorbidity) for FY 2027. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, it moves the inpatient stay to a higher-weighted DRG within its severity family. It does not count when the principal diagnosis is one of the 13 closely related codes in its exclusion list.

Can H53.131 be reported with E50.5?

Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note at H53.1, which applies to H53.131, lists "subjective visual disturbances due to vitamin A deficiency (E50.5)". An Excludes1 note means the excluded code is never reported together with this one; the only exception is when the two conditions are unrelated to each other (Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).