Understanding Visual Disturbance diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment. Find information on clinical documentation, medical coding (ICD-10 codes), healthcare provider resources, and differential diagnosis for visual disturbances including blurred vision, double vision, halos, floaters, and visual field loss. Learn about related eye conditions, diagnostic tests, and treatment options. This resource provides valuable information for healthcare professionals, patients, and coders seeking clarity on visual disturbance management.
Also known as
Visual disturbances and blindness
Covers various visual impairments, including blindness and low vision.
Symptoms and signs involving cognition, perception, emotional state and behaviour
Includes symptoms like abnormal perception and hallucinations which can manifest visually.
Disorders of optic nerve and visual pathways
Nerve and pathway issues can lead to various visual disturbances.
Follow this step-by-step guide to choose the correct ICD-10 code.
Is the visual disturbance due to injury, poisoning or other external cause?
Yes
Specify injury mechanism
No
Is there a known underlying disease?
When to use each related code
| Description |
|---|
| Blurred vision, distorted images |
| Double vision |
| Visual field loss |
Coding with unspecified visual disturbance codes (e.g., H53.9) when a more specific diagnosis is documented leads to inaccurate data and lost revenue.
Failing to document and code laterality (right, left, bilateral) for visual disturbances impacts clinical data quality and reimbursement accuracy.
Coding a symptom like blurred vision (e.g., H53.8) instead of the underlying diagnosis (e.g., diabetic retinopathy) misrepresents patient acuity and severity.
Patient presents with complaints of visual disturbance. Onset, duration, and character of visual symptoms were thoroughly documented, including blurred vision, double vision (diplopia), visual field defects (scotoma, hemianopsia), floaters, flashing lights (photopsia), distorted vision (metamorphopsia), and eye pain. Associated symptoms such as headache, nausea, dizziness, or neurologic deficits were also queried and documented. Pertinent ocular history including refractive error, cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and previous eye surgeries was reviewed. Medical history, including hypertension, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and other relevant systemic conditions, was noted. Medications, including any over-the-counter drugs and supplements, were documented. Family history of eye diseases was explored. Visual acuity assessment with and without correction was performed for both near and distance vision. Ocular motility examination including extraocular movements, pupillary light reflex, and cover-uncover test was conducted. Anterior segment examination with slit lamp biomicroscopy was performed to assess the cornea, conjunctiva, iris, and lens. Funduscopic examination with dilation was performed to evaluate the optic disc, retina, and macula. Differential diagnosis includes refractive error, dry eye, cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, retinal detachment, optic neuritis, migraine aura, transient ischemic attack (TIA), and stroke. Assessment includes the specific type of visual disturbance, its severity, and potential underlying causes. Plan includes further investigations such as visual field testing, optical coherence tomography (OCT), fluorescein angiography, or neuroimaging if clinically indicated. Patient education on potential causes, treatment options, and follow-up care was provided. Referral to ophthalmology, neurology, or other specialists may be considered based on clinical findings. Coding considerations include ICD-10 codes for visual disturbances such as H53.1 (blurred vision), H53.2 (diplopia), H53.4 (visual field defects), and other relevant codes based on specific findings.