ICD-10 Guide

Left Eye Cataract

ICD-10 Coding for Left Eye Cataract(H25.11, H25.12)

PRIMARY SPECIALTYOphthalmology

COMPLEXITYHigh

LAST UPDATED09/15/2025

Sam Tuffun, PT, DPT

Physical Therapist | Medical Coding & Billing Contributor

Diagnosis Overview

What is Left Eye Cataract?

Essential facts and insights about Left Eye Cataract

Key Clinical Considerations:

Blurred vision in the left eye
Difficulty seeing at night
Sensitivity to light and glare
Double vision in the left eye
Faded colors in the left eye
Key diagnostic tests include slit-lamp examination and visual acuity testing
Physical exam findings may show a cloudy lens in the left eye

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Required documentation elements include patient history, visual acuity measurements, and findings from eye examinations
Specific coding terminology includes 'left eye cataract' and 'cataract surgery' if applicable
Documentation examples: 'Patient presents with blurred vision in the left eye, diagnosed with left eye cataract after slit-lamp examination.'

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Usage guidelines: Use specific codes for left eye cataract to ensure accurate billing.
Common errors: Failing to specify laterality or using unspecified codes.

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Excluded conditions: Cataracts due to trauma or secondary to other diseases.
Alternative codes: Consider using codes for cataracts due to systemic conditions if applicable.

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Ophthalmology

Specialty Applications

Patient populations: Primarily older adults, but can occur in younger patients due to other factors.
Clinical settings: Ophthalmology clinics, hospitals, and outpatient surgical centers.

Coding Complexity

High Complexity

This diagnosis requires careful attention to:

Comprehensive clinical documentation
Accurate code selection based on clinical criteria
Proper exclusion considerations
Specialty-specific coding guidelines

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Ensure proper documentation for billing
Verify code specificity requirements
Check for any additional codes needed
Review payer-specific guidelines

Common Issues

Insufficient clinical documentation
Incorrect code selection
Missing supporting diagnoses
Timing and frequency documentation

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Include detailed patient history, visual acuity results, and examination findings.

Billing considerations?

Ensure correct ICD-10 codes are used and verify insurance coverage for cataract surgery.

Left Eye Cataract

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Billing considerations?

Left Eye Cataract

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Billing considerations?