Find information on geographic atrophy diagnosis, including clinical documentation, medical coding (ICD-10 H35.32), and treatment options. Learn about the stages, symptoms, and progression of geographic atrophy (GA), a leading cause of vision loss. Explore resources for healthcare professionals on diagnosing and managing GA, including best practices for accurate documentation and coding for dry age-related macular degeneration with geographic atrophy. This resource provides key insights for ophthalmologists, optometrists, and other eye care specialists seeking information on geographic atrophy diagnosis and management.
Also known as
Geographic atrophy of macula
Deterioration of the retinal pigment epithelium causing vision loss.
Other retinal disorders
Includes various retinal conditions like chorioretinitis or retinal breaks.
Disorders of optic disc
Involves optic nerve abnormalities that can affect central vision.
Blindness and low vision
Classifies severity of visual impairment, including legal blindness.
Follow this step-by-step guide to choose the correct ICD-10 code.
Is the diagnosis Geographic Atrophy?
Yes
Is it due to age-related macular degeneration?
No
Do not code for Geographic Atrophy. Review clinical documentation for alternative diagnosis.
When to use each related code
| Description |
|---|
| Geographic atrophy (GA) |
| Dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) |
| Neovascular AMD (wet AMD) |
Coding geographic atrophy without specifying laterality (right, left, or bilateral) leads to inaccurate documentation and potential claims rejection.
Miscoding geographic atrophy as other age-related macular degeneration variants like neovascular AMD can impact quality reporting and reimbursement.
Insufficient documentation of geographic atrophy stage (e.g., size, progression) creates coding ambiguity and affects severity-based reimbursement.
Patient presents with complaints consistent with geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration. Visual acuity decline, particularly in central vision, was reported. The patient describes increasing difficulty with reading and recognizing faces. Scotomas and metamorphopsia are also reported. Funduscopic examination revealed sharply demarcated areas of chorioretinal atrophy with visible choroidal vessels and retinal pigment epithelium loss, confirming the diagnosis of geographic atrophy GA. Fluorescein angiography FA and optical coherence tomography OCT were performed to assess the extent of atrophy and rule out choroidal neovascularization CNV. The findings confirm non-exudative age-related macular degeneration with geographic atrophy as the primary diagnosis. Patient education regarding disease progression, low vision rehabilitation strategies, and available management options for dry AMD was provided. The patient was advised on lifestyle modifications including smoking cessation and nutritional support with AREDS2 formula vitamins. Follow-up appointment scheduled to monitor disease progression and assess visual function. ICD-10 code H35.32, geographic atrophy of the macula and posterior pole, was assigned.