2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H54.8Legal blindness, as defined in USA
ICD-10-CM Codes›H00–H59›H53-H54›H54
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- Chronic Condition
H54.8 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for legal blindness, as defined in USA. 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. Coders also document this condition as blindness with AIDS. 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.
- Blindness with AIDS
- Finding of legal status of patient
- Legal blindness
Instructional NotesGuidance
Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to H54.8: its own notes plus those printed at H54 and Chapter 7. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.
Applicable To
Conditions this code is used for: synonyms of the title or, for "other specified" codes, the conditions assigned to it. The list is not exhaustive.
- Blindness NOS according to USA definition
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)
Code First
The underlying condition named in the note is sequenced before this code.
- any associated underlying cause of the blindness
Notes
General instructions on how these codes are used.
- The table below gives a classification of severity of visual impairment recommended by a WHO Study Group on the Prevention of Blindness, Geneva, 6-10 November 1972.
- The term 'low vision' in category H54 comprises categories 1 and 2 of the table, the term 'blindness' categories 3, 4 and 5, and the term 'unqualified visual loss' category 9.
- If the extent of the visual field is taken into account, patients with a field no greater than 10 but greater than 5 around central fixation should be placed in category 3 and patients with a field no greater than 5 around central fixation should be placed in category 4, even if the central acuity is not impaired.
- For definition of visual impairment categories see table below
- 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 H54.8, its category, or a range that includes it.
Applicable To 1
These notes mention H54.8.
Use Additional Code 1
These codes say to use an additional code from the note, and H54.8 is one of the codes named.
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
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 H54.8 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About H54.8Overview
What is the ICD-10 code for legal blindness, as defined in USA?
The ICD-10-CM code for legal blindness, as defined in USA is H54.8 (sometimes written as H548). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
Is H54.8 (Blindness and low vision) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report legal blindness, as defined in USA on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
What MS-DRG does H54.8 group to?
When legal blindness, as defined in USA 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 H54.8 be reported with G45.3?
Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note at H54, which applies to H54.8, lists "amaurosis fugax (G45.3)". 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 coded first with H54.8?
The Code First note at H54, which applies to H54.8, reads: any associated underlying cause of the blindness. When one of these applies, it is sequenced before H54.8.
