Coding Solar Eclipse Injuries with ICD-10 Medical Codes

1
www.outsourcestrategies.com
2
Coding Solar Eclipse Injuries with ICD-10 Medical
Codes

• Ophthalmic injuries are common after improper
  viewing of solar eclipses such as the recent one
  on August 21, 2017.
•  
• Looking directly at the sun during an eclipse
  can cause solar
• retinopathy, resulting in permanent damage to
  the eyes.
• If the eyes are exposed to excessive amounts of
  ultraviolet radiation
• over a short period of time, you could
  experience photokeratitis,
• essentially sunburn of the eye.

www.outsourcestrategies.com
3
ICD-10 Coding

• Eclipse-related eye injuries as well as other
  injuries can be documented
• with the latest ICD-10 codes.
• The assignment of the medical codes will be in
  keeping with the medical
• record documentation, and the medical coder
  is responsible for accurate
• documentation.

www.outsourcestrategies.com
4
Coding Ophthalmologic Injures Caused by Solar
Eclipse

• Photokeratitis Photokeratitis or ultraviolet
  keratitis is like sunburn of the cornea from
  ultraviolet exposure. This painful condition is
  also known as snow blindness or welders
  keratitis.
• Photokeratitis Section     H16.13 (incomplete
  code)
• H16.131 - Photokeratitis, right eye
  
• H16.132 - Photokeratitis, left eye
  
• H16.133 - Photokeratitis, bilateral
  
• H16.139 - Photokeratitis, unspecified eye

www.outsourcestrategies.com
5
Coding Ophthalmologic Injures Caused by Solar
Eclipse

• Solar Retinopathy A burn of the retina from
  ultraviolet exposure. With this condition, most
  patients notice a very small blind spot in the
  central vision that they can see around.
• Solar retinopathy Section H31.02 (incomplete
  code)
• H31.021 - Solar retinopathy, right eye
  
• H31.022 - Solar retinopathy, left eye
  
• H31.023 - Solar retinopathy, bilateral
  
• H31.029 - Solar retinopathy, unspecified eye

www.outsourcestrategies.com
6
Coding Ophthalmologic Injures Caused by Solar
Eclipse

• External Cause Damages that occurred due to
  other causes can be documented with these codes.
• Exposure to sunlight Section X32 (incomplete
  code) 
• X32XXXA - Exposure to sunlight, initial
  encounter 
• X32XXXD - Exposure to sunlight, subsequent
  encounter              
• X32XXXS - Exposure to sunlight, sequela     
• Add the place of occurrence and activity codes if
  applicable to your area or coding guidelines.

www.outsourcestrategies.com
7

• Ophthalmologists as well as other physicians who
  are busy treating their patients experiencing the
  after effects of the current eclipse can rely on
  medical billing outsourcing companies to meet
  their medical billing and coding needs.

www.outsourcestrategies.com
8
To learn more about our medical billing company
and the customized services we provide, call
1-800-670-2809 today!
CONTACT
Headquarters8596 E. 101st Street, Suite
HTulsa, OK 74133Main [phone]Fax
[phone]E-mail info_at_managedoutsource.comU
RL www.outsourcestrategies.com
Thank You !!!