2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S04.039DInjury of optic tract and pathways, unspecified side, subsequent encounter
S04.039D is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for injury of optic tract and pathways, unspecified side, subsequent encounter. The 7th character D marks it as a subsequent encounter code, used during routine care in the healing or recovery phase. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 949 through 950. The code is exempt from POA reporting. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Injury to nerves, muscles and tendons, subsequent encounter.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Present on Admission (POA)Billing
S04.039D is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review other POA exempt codes.
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Avulsion of cranial nerve
- Avulsion of optic nerve
- Disorder of optic radiation
- Disorder of optic tract
- Injury of optic chiasm
- Injury of optic radiation
- Injury of optic tract
- Optic nerve and pathway injury
- Traumatic injury of optic disk
- Traumatic injury of visual pathways
- Traumatic optic nerve injury
Coding GuidelinesGuidance
The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Injury of cranial nerve (S04). Use the following options for the applicable episode of care:
- A - initial encounter
- D - subsequent encounter
- S - sequela
Source: ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY 2026, published by CMS and the National Center for Health Statistics.
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Patient EducationClinical
Optic Nerve Disorders
The optic nerve is a bundle of more than 1 million nerve fibers that carry visual messages. You have one connecting the back of each eye (your retina) to your brain. Damage to an optic nerve can cause vision loss. The type of vision loss and how severe it is depends on where the damage occurs. It may affect one or both eyes.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert S04.039D to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About S04.039DOverview
Is S04.039D (Injury of optic tract and pathways, unspecified side) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report injury of optic tract and pathways, unspecified side, subsequent encounter on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What does the 7th character D in S04.039D mean?
The final character D marks a subsequent encounter: use it for routine care while the injury of optic tract and pathways, unspecified side is healing, after active treatment has ended.
What MS-DRG does S04.039D group to?
When injury of optic tract and pathways, unspecified side, subsequent encounter is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 949, 950, with relative weights from 0.6277 to 1.1897 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Is S04.039D exempt from POA reporting?
Yes. CMS lists this code among those exempt from present on admission reporting, so hospitals do not assign a POA indicator for injury of optic tract and pathways, unspecified side, subsequent encounter on inpatient claims.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of S04.039D?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, injury of optic tract and pathways, unspecified side, subsequent encounter converts to ICD-9-CM V58.89 (other specfied aftercare). 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.
