Ophthalmology and Optometry Coding Alert

Question: We saw a patient with pinkeye related to a specific virus, and we've never seen this before. Which diagnosis code should we report?

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Answer: Generally speaking, conjunctivitis has two distinct etiologies: it is either viral, or it is caused by allergies. What's confusing for coders, however, is that some forms are found among the infectious and parasitic diseases in Chapter 1 of the ICD-10-CM, while others are found among the diseases of the eye in Chapter 7. There's even one form of viral conjunctivitis caused by the gonococcus bacterium that affects neonates and is classified as P39.1 (Neonatal conjunctivitis and dacryocystitis).

One easy way to tell the difference is that the B30 codes (Viral conjunctivitis), such as the ones listed below, are most often inflammations associated with cold and flu symptoms:

• B30.0 -  Keratoconjunctivitis due to adenovirus (also known as shipyard eye)
• B30.1 - Conjunctivitis due to adenovirus (also known as swimming-pool eye)
• B30.2 - Viral pharyngoconjunctivitis
• B30.3 - Acute epidemic hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (enteroviral)
• B30.8 - Other viral conjunctivitis (also known as Newcastle eye)

Both B30.0 and B30.1, for example, are caused by the adenovirus, described by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as a "common cause of respiratory illness," that results in "cold-like symptoms, sore throat, bronchitis, pneumonia, diarrhea, and pink eye (conjunctivitis)."