2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H53.149Visual discomfort, unspecified
ICD-10-CM Codes›H00–H59›H53-H54›H53
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- Not Chronic
H53.149 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for visual discomfort, unspecified. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 124 through 125. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Blindness and vision defects.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Accommodative asthenopia
- Cutaneous syndrome with ichthyosis
- 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
Instructional NotesGuidance
Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to H53.149: 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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
Clinical InformationClinical
Visual Discomfort
adverse effects experienced with normal viewing, which may include eye strain, blurred vision, and diplopia.
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 H53.149 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About H53.149Overview
What is the ICD-10 code for visual discomfort, unspecified?
The ICD-10-CM code for visual discomfort, unspecified is H53.149 (sometimes written as H53149). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
Is H53.149 (Visual discomfort) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report visual discomfort, unspecified on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
What MS-DRG does H53.149 group to?
When visual discomfort, unspecified is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 125, 124, with relative weights from 0.7699 to 1.2470 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Can H53.149 be reported with E50.5?
Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note at H53.1, which applies to H53.149, 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).
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of H53.149?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, visual discomfort, unspecified converts to ICD-9-CM 368.13 (visual discomfort). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.
