Keratitis (H16) ICD-10-CM
The H16 code range covers keratitis with 163 ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes. 126 of them are billable and valid for claim submission in fiscal year 2026, and the category headers group them but cannot themselves be billed.
Codes in the H16 Range 163 codes · 126 billable
- H16 KeratitisNon-billable
- H16.0 Corneal ulcerNon-billable
- H16.00 Unspecified corneal ulcerNon-billable
- H16.001 Unspecified corneal ulcer, right eye
- H16.002 Unspecified corneal ulcer, left eye
- H16.003 Unspecified corneal ulcer, bilateral
- H16.009 Unspecified corneal ulcer, unspecified eye
- H16.01 Central corneal ulcerNon-billable
- H16.011 Central corneal ulcer, right eye
- H16.012 Central corneal ulcer, left eye
- H16.013 Central corneal ulcer, bilateral
- H16.019 Central corneal ulcer, unspecified eye
- H16.02 Ring corneal ulcerNon-billable
- H16.021 Ring corneal ulcer, right eye
- H16.022 Ring corneal ulcer, left eye
- H16.023 Ring corneal ulcer, bilateral
- H16.029 Ring corneal ulcer, unspecified eye
- H16.03 Corneal ulcer with hypopyonNon-billable
- H16.031 Corneal ulcer with hypopyon, right eye
- H16.032 Corneal ulcer with hypopyon, left eye
- H16.033 Corneal ulcer with hypopyon, bilateral
- H16.039 Corneal ulcer with hypopyon, unspecified eye
- H16.04 Marginal corneal ulcerNon-billable
- H16.041 Marginal corneal ulcer, right eye
- H16.042 Marginal corneal ulcer, left eye
- H16.043 Marginal corneal ulcer, bilateral
- H16.049 Marginal corneal ulcer, unspecified eye
- H16.05 Mooren's corneal ulcerNon-billable
- H16.051 Mooren's corneal ulcer, right eye
- H16.052 Mooren's corneal ulcer, left eye
- H16.053 Mooren's corneal ulcer, bilateral
- H16.059 Mooren's corneal ulcer, unspecified eye
- H16.06 Mycotic corneal ulcerNon-billable
- H16.061 Mycotic corneal ulcer, right eye
- H16.062 Mycotic corneal ulcer, left eye
- H16.063 Mycotic corneal ulcer, bilateral
- H16.069 Mycotic corneal ulcer, unspecified eye
- H16.07 Perforated corneal ulcerNon-billable
- H16.071 Perforated corneal ulcer, right eye
- H16.072 Perforated corneal ulcer, left eye
- H16.073 Perforated corneal ulcer, bilateral
- H16.079 Perforated corneal ulcer, unspecified eye
- H16.1 Other and unspecified superficial keratitis without conjunctivitisNon-billable
- H16.10 Unspecified superficial keratitisNon-billable
- H16.101 Unspecified superficial keratitis, right eye
- H16.102 Unspecified superficial keratitis, left eye
- H16.103 Unspecified superficial keratitis, bilateral
- H16.109 Unspecified superficial keratitis, unspecified eye
- H16.11 Macular keratitisNon-billable
- H16.111 Macular keratitis, right eye
- H16.112 Macular keratitis, left eye
- H16.113 Macular keratitis, bilateral
- H16.119 Macular keratitis, unspecified eye
- H16.12 Filamentary keratitisNon-billable
- H16.121 Filamentary keratitis, right eye
- H16.122 Filamentary keratitis, left eye
- H16.123 Filamentary keratitis, bilateral
- H16.129 Filamentary keratitis, unspecified eye
- H16.13 PhotokeratitisNon-billable
- H16.131 Photokeratitis, right eye
- H16.132 Photokeratitis, left eye
- H16.133 Photokeratitis, bilateral
- H16.139 Photokeratitis, unspecified eye
- H16.14 Punctate keratitisNon-billable
- H16.141 Punctate keratitis, right eye
- H16.142 Punctate keratitis, left eye
- H16.143 Punctate keratitis, bilateral
- H16.149 Punctate keratitis, unspecified eye
- H16.2 KeratoconjunctivitisNon-billable
- H16.20 Unspecified keratoconjunctivitisNon-billable
- H16.201 Unspecified keratoconjunctivitis, right eye
- H16.202 Unspecified keratoconjunctivitis, left eye
- H16.203 Unspecified keratoconjunctivitis, bilateral
- H16.209 Unspecified keratoconjunctivitis, unspecified eye
- H16.21 Exposure keratoconjunctivitisNon-billable
- H16.211 Exposure keratoconjunctivitis, right eye
- H16.212 Exposure keratoconjunctivitis, left eye
- H16.213 Exposure keratoconjunctivitis, bilateral
- H16.219 Exposure keratoconjunctivitis, unspecified eye
- H16.22 Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, not specified as Sjogren'sNon-billable
- H16.221 Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, not specified as Sjogren's, right eye
- H16.222 Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, not specified as Sjogren's, left eye
- H16.223 Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, not specified as Sjogren's, bilateral
- H16.229 Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, not specified as Sjogren's, unspecified eye
- H16.23 Neurotrophic keratoconjunctivitisNon-billable
- H16.231 Neurotrophic keratoconjunctivitis, right eye
- H16.232 Neurotrophic keratoconjunctivitis, left eye
- H16.233 Neurotrophic keratoconjunctivitis, bilateral
- H16.239 Neurotrophic keratoconjunctivitis, unspecified eye
- H16.24 Ophthalmia nodosaNon-billable
- H16.241 Ophthalmia nodosa, right eye
- H16.242 Ophthalmia nodosa, left eye
- H16.243 Ophthalmia nodosa, bilateral
- H16.249 Ophthalmia nodosa, unspecified eye
- H16.25 Phlyctenular keratoconjunctivitisNon-billable
- H16.251 Phlyctenular keratoconjunctivitis, right eye
- H16.252 Phlyctenular keratoconjunctivitis, left eye
- H16.253 Phlyctenular keratoconjunctivitis, bilateral
- H16.259 Phlyctenular keratoconjunctivitis, unspecified eye
- H16.26 Vernal keratoconjunctivitis, with limbar and corneal involvementNon-billable
- H16.261 Vernal keratoconjunctivitis, with limbar and corneal involvement, right eye
- H16.262 Vernal keratoconjunctivitis, with limbar and corneal involvement, left eye
- H16.263 Vernal keratoconjunctivitis, with limbar and corneal involvement, bilateral
- H16.269 Vernal keratoconjunctivitis, with limbar and corneal involvement, unspecified eye
- H16.29 Other keratoconjunctivitisNon-billable
- H16.291 Other keratoconjunctivitis, right eye
- H16.292 Other keratoconjunctivitis, left eye
- H16.293 Other keratoconjunctivitis, bilateral
- H16.299 Other keratoconjunctivitis, unspecified eye
- H16.3 Interstitial and deep keratitisNon-billable
- H16.30 Unspecified interstitial keratitisNon-billable
- H16.301 Unspecified interstitial keratitis, right eye
- H16.302 Unspecified interstitial keratitis, left eye
- H16.303 Unspecified interstitial keratitis, bilateral
- H16.309 Unspecified interstitial keratitis, unspecified eye
- H16.31 Corneal abscessNon-billable
- H16.311 Corneal abscess, right eye
- H16.312 Corneal abscess, left eye
- H16.313 Corneal abscess, bilateral
- H16.319 Corneal abscess, unspecified eye
- H16.32 Diffuse interstitial keratitisNon-billable
- H16.321 Diffuse interstitial keratitis, right eye
- H16.322 Diffuse interstitial keratitis, left eye
- H16.323 Diffuse interstitial keratitis, bilateral
- H16.329 Diffuse interstitial keratitis, unspecified eye
- H16.33 Sclerosing keratitisNon-billable
- H16.331 Sclerosing keratitis, right eye
- H16.332 Sclerosing keratitis, left eye
- H16.333 Sclerosing keratitis, bilateral
- H16.339 Sclerosing keratitis, unspecified eye
- H16.39 Other interstitial and deep keratitisNon-billable
- H16.391 Other interstitial and deep keratitis, right eye
- H16.392 Other interstitial and deep keratitis, left eye
- H16.393 Other interstitial and deep keratitis, bilateral
- H16.399 Other interstitial and deep keratitis, unspecified eye
- H16.4 Corneal neovascularizationNon-billable
- H16.40 Unspecified corneal neovascularizationNon-billable
- H16.401 Unspecified corneal neovascularization, right eye
- H16.402 Unspecified corneal neovascularization, left eye
- H16.403 Unspecified corneal neovascularization, bilateral
- H16.409 Unspecified corneal neovascularization, unspecified eye
- H16.41 Ghost vessels (corneal)Non-billable
- H16.411 Ghost vessels (corneal), right eye
- H16.412 Ghost vessels (corneal), left eye
- H16.413 Ghost vessels (corneal), bilateral
- H16.419 Ghost vessels (corneal), unspecified eye
- H16.42 Pannus (corneal)Non-billable
- H16.421 Pannus (corneal), right eye
- H16.422 Pannus (corneal), left eye
- H16.423 Pannus (corneal), bilateral
- H16.429 Pannus (corneal), unspecified eye
- H16.43 Localized vascularization of corneaNon-billable
- H16.431 Localized vascularization of cornea, right eye
- H16.432 Localized vascularization of cornea, left eye
- H16.433 Localized vascularization of cornea, bilateral
- H16.439 Localized vascularization of cornea, unspecified eye
- H16.44 Deep vascularization of corneaNon-billable
- H16.441 Deep vascularization of cornea, right eye
- H16.442 Deep vascularization of cornea, left eye
- H16.443 Deep vascularization of cornea, bilateral
- H16.449 Deep vascularization of cornea, unspecified eye
- H16.8 Other keratitis
- H16.9 Unspecified keratitis
Clinical Terms in This Code Range
Definitions from the National Library of Medicine for conditions coded in the H16 range.
Acanthamoeba Keratitis
Infection of the cornea by an ameboid protozoan which may cause corneal ulceration leading to blindness.
Conjunctivitis, Allergic
Conjunctivitis due to hypersensitivity to various allergens.
Corneal Neovascularization
New blood vessels originating from the corneal blood vessels and extending from the limbus into the adjacent CORNEAL STROMA. Neovascularization in the superficial and/or deep corneal stroma is a sequel to numerous inflammatory diseases of the ocular anterior segment, such as TRACHOMA, viral interstitial KERATITIS, microbial KERATOCONJUNCTIVITIS, and the immune response elicited by CORNEAL TRANSPLANTATION.
Corneal Ulcer
Loss of epithelial tissue from the surface of the cornea due to progressive erosion and necrosis of the tissue; usually caused by bacterial, fungal, or viral infection.
Cyanobacteria
A phylum of oxygenic photosynthetic bacteria comprised of unicellular to multicellular bacteria possessing CHLOROPHYLL a and carrying out oxygenic PHOTOSYNTHESIS. Cyanobacteria are the only known organisms capable of fixing both CARBON DIOXIDE (in the presence of light) and NITROGEN. Cell morphology can include nitrogen-fixing heterocysts and/or resting cells called akinetes. Formerly called blue-green algae, cyanobacteria were traditionally treated as ALGAE.
Keratitis
Inflammation of the cornea.
Keratitis, Dendritic
A form of herpetic keratitis characterized by the formation of small vesicles which break down and coalesce to form recurring dendritic ulcers, characteristically irregular, linear, branching, and ending in knoblike extremities. (Dictionary of Visual Science, 3d ed)
Keratitis, Herpetic
A superficial, epithelial Herpesvirus hominis infection of the cornea, characterized by the presence of small vesicles which may break down and coalesce to form dendritic ulcers (KERATITIS, DENDRITIC). (Dictionary of Visual Science, 3d ed)
Keratoconjunctivitis
Simultaneous inflammation of the cornea and conjunctiva.
Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca
Drying and inflammation of the conjunctiva as a result of insufficient lacrimal secretion. When found in association with XEROSTOMIA and polyarthritis, it is called SJOGREN'S SYNDROME.
Keratoconjunctivitis, Infectious
Infectious diseases of cattle, sheep, and goats, characterized by blepharospasm, lacrimation, conjunctivitis, and varying degrees of corneal opacity and ulceration. In cattle the causative agent is MORAXELLA (MORAXELLA) BOVIS; in sheep, MYCOPLASMA; RICKETTSIA; CHLAMYDIA; or ACHOLEPLASMA; in goats, RICKETTSIA.
Pannus
A genus of CYANOBACTERIA in the family Synechococcaceae that is free-floating and occurs in various water environments attaching to algae and submersed plants.
About the H16 Code Range
ICD-10 code H16 covers keratitis, an inflammation of the cornea that can present in various forms including ulcers, superficial and deep keratitis, and keratoconjunctivitis. These codes help specify the type, location (right, left, bilateral, or unspecified eye), and severity when documenting corneal inflammation and related conditions.
The codes under the H16 section precisely identify conditions such as corneal ulcers (including central, ring-shaped, with hypopyon, and Mooren’s ulcer), superficial keratitis types like punctate and photokeratitis (also known as snow blindness or welders' keratitis), and keratoconjunctivitis variants such as exposure or dry eye keratoconjunctivitis (keratoconjunctivitis sicca). Specific terms like “ulcer of cornea,” “corneal erosion,” “perforated corneal ulcer,” and others listed in the synonyms help coders bridge clinical terminology to ICD-10 codes. Additionally, codes also cover deep and interstitial keratitis, corneal neovascularization including ghost vessels and pannus, and other keratitis causes like parasitic or fungal infections.
By using these H16 codes, healthcare professionals ensure precise coding for diverse corneal inflammations, reflecting the exact type and affected eye, supporting accurate diagnosis and treatment documentation. This makes the ICD-10 code for keratitis essential for correctly identifying corneal inflammatory diseases in medical billing and health records.
Questions About This Page
How many billable codes are in the H16 range?
Of the 163 codes in this range, 126 are billable and valid for claim submission from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Category header codes group them but cannot be reported on claims.
What does the H16 range classify?
The range classifies keratitis. Each code links to its own reference page with billing status, MS-DRG grouping, coding notes, and clinical information.
Related References
Source: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM Tabular List and order file, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
