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  5. Foreign body on external eye (T15)

Foreign body on external eye (T15)

The ICD-10 code T15 covers injuries caused by a foreign body on the external eye, including the cornea, conjunctival sac, and other external parts. These codes are essential for accurately documenting and treating cases of eye injuries due to particles or objects like splinters or metal fragments.

Each subcode under T15 specifies the exact location and laterality of the foreign body, such as the cornea (e.g., T15.0 series) or conjunctival sac (e.g., T15.1 series), and details the encounter type, including initial treatment, subsequent care, or sequela. For example, the ICD-10 code for a corneal foreign body includes terms like "corneal rust ring" or "splinter in cornea" (found under T15.00XA), which helps coders use the right code when treating specific injuries. Similarly, foreign bodies trapped in the conjunctival sac or eyelid area use related codes like T15.10, encompassing synonyms like "orbital foreign body."

These distinctions guide healthcare providers and coders in choosing the precise code for injuries involving foreign bodies accidentally entering the eye, improving communication and care planning. The codes also differentiate by eye side; right or left; and by the phase of care, making them integral for comprehensive eye injury documentation in medical records.

  • Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00–T88)

    • Effects of foreign body entering through natural orifice (T15-T19)

        • Foreign body on external eye (T15)

        • T15 Foreign body on external eye
        • T15.0 Foreign body in cornea
        • T15.00 Foreign body in cornea, unspecified eye
        • T15.00XA Foreign body in cornea, unspecified eye, initial encounter
        • T15.00XD Foreign body in cornea, unspecified eye, subsequent encounter
        • T15.00XS Foreign body in cornea, unspecified eye, sequela
        • T15.01 Foreign body in cornea, right eye
        • T15.01XA Foreign body in cornea, right eye, initial encounter
        • T15.01XD Foreign body in cornea, right eye, subsequent encounter
        • T15.01XS Foreign body in cornea, right eye, sequela
        • T15.02 Foreign body in cornea, left eye
        • T15.02XA Foreign body in cornea, left eye, initial encounter
        • T15.02XD Foreign body in cornea, left eye, subsequent encounter
        • T15.02XS Foreign body in cornea, left eye, sequela
        • T15.1 Foreign body in conjunctival sac
        • T15.10 Foreign body in conjunctival sac, unspecified eye
        • T15.10XA Foreign body in conjunctival sac, unspecified eye, initial encounter
        • T15.10XD Foreign body in conjunctival sac, unspecified eye, subsequent encounter
        • T15.10XS Foreign body in conjunctival sac, unspecified eye, sequela
        • T15.11 Foreign body in conjunctival sac, right eye
        • T15.11XA Foreign body in conjunctival sac, right eye, initial encounter
        • T15.11XD Foreign body in conjunctival sac, right eye, subsequent encounter
        • T15.11XS Foreign body in conjunctival sac, right eye, sequela
        • T15.12 Foreign body in conjunctival sac, left eye
        • T15.12XA Foreign body in conjunctival sac, left eye, initial encounter
        • T15.12XD Foreign body in conjunctival sac, left eye, subsequent encounter
        • T15.12XS Foreign body in conjunctival sac, left eye, sequela
        • T15.8 Foreign body in other and multiple parts of external eye
        • T15.80 Foreign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, unspecified eye
        • T15.80XA Foreign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, unspecified eye, initial encounter
        • T15.80XD Foreign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, unspecified eye, subsequent encounter
        • T15.80XS Foreign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, unspecified eye, sequela
        • T15.81 Foreign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, right eye
        • T15.81XA Foreign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, right eye, initial encounter
        • T15.81XD Foreign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, right eye, subsequent encounter
        • T15.81XS Foreign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, right eye, sequela
        • T15.82 Foreign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, left eye
        • T15.82XA Foreign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, left eye, initial encounter
        • T15.82XD Foreign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, left eye, subsequent encounter
        • T15.82XS Foreign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, left eye, sequela
        • T15.9 Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified
        • T15.90 Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, unspecified eye
        • T15.90XA Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, unspecified eye, initial encounter
        • T15.90XD Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, unspecified eye, subsequent encounter
        • T15.90XS Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, unspecified eye, sequela
        • T15.91 Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, right eye
        • T15.91XA Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, right eye, initial encounter
        • T15.91XD Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, right eye, subsequent encounter
        • T15.91XS Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, right eye, sequela
        • T15.92 Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, left eye
        • T15.92XA Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, left eye, initial encounter
        • T15.92XD Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, left eye, subsequent encounter
        • T15.92XS Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, left eye, sequela

Instructional Notations

Type 2 Excludes

A type 2 excludes note represents "Not included here". An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.

  • foreign body in penetrating wound of orbit and eye ball S05.4 S05.5
  • open wound of eyelid and periocular area S01.1
  • retained foreign body in eyelid H02.8
  • retained old foreign body in penetrating wound of orbit and eye ball H05.5 H44.6 H44.7
  • superficial foreign body of eyelid and periocular area S00.25

7th Character Note

Certain ICD-10-CM categories have applicable 7th characters. The applicable 7th character is required for all codes within the category, or as the notes in the Tabular List instruct. The 7th character must always be the 7th character in the data field. If a code that requires a 7th character is not 6 characters, a placeholder X must be used to fill in the empty characters.

  • The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T15

7th Character

Indicates that a seventh character is to be assigned to codes in a subcategory.

  • A - initial encounter
  • D - subsequent encounter
  • S - sequela