2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H53.421Scotoma of blind spot area, right eye

ICD-10-CM Codes›H00–H59›H53-H54›H53

ICD-10-CM H53.421
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

H53.421 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for scotoma of blind spot area, right eye. 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

ICD-10-CM Code
H53.421
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Scotoma of blind spot area, right eye
Short Description
Scotoma of blind spot area, right eye
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
H53.42
Scotoma of blind spot area

Code Classification

ChapterH00–H59Diseases of the eye and adnexa
SectionH53-H54Visual disturbances and blindness
CategoryH53Visual disturbances
This CodeH53.421Scotoma of blind spot area, right eye

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to H53.421: its own notes plus those printed at Chapter 7. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

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.

Referenced in Other NotesGuidance

Instructional notes printed at other codes that name H53.421, its category, or a range that includes it.

Use Additional Code 1

These codes say to use an additional code from the note, and H53.421 is one of the codes named.

  • S04.0 Injury of optic nerve and pathways
    code to identify any visual field defect or blindness (H53.4-, H54.-) names H53.4-, which includes this code

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 H53.421 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
368.42 Scotoma of blind spot
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 H53.421Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for scotoma of blind spot area, right eye?

The ICD-10-CM code for scotoma of blind spot area, right eye is H53.421 (sometimes written as H53421). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Is H53.421 (Scotoma of blind spot area) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report scotoma of blind spot area, right eye on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What MS-DRG does H53.421 group to?

When scotoma of blind spot area, right eye 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.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of H53.421?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, scotoma of blind spot area, right eye converts to ICD-9-CM 368.42 (scotoma of blind spot). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.