Ophthalmology and Optometry Coding Alert

Question: Notes indicate that the provider treated a patient with a “retinal migraine.” I’ve never come across this term, and I haven’t been able to track it down in my ICD-10 manual either. Can you help with a diagnosis code?

Colorado Subscriber

Answer: You’ve probably heard of retinal migraine by its more familiar name, migraine with aura. As far as ICD-10 is concerned, the terms are synonyms. You’ll select an ICD-10 code from the G43.1- (Migraine with aura) set for this patient.

Note: Synonyms for conditions are often listed under the primary descriptor for an ICD-10 code. Under the descriptor for migraine with aura, retinal migraine is listed along with:

• Basilar migraine
• Classical migraine
• Migraine equivalents
• Migraine preceded or accompanied by transient focal neurological phenomena
• Migraine triggered seizures
• Migraine with acute-onset aura
• Migraine with aura without headache (migraine equivalents)
• Migraine with prolonged aura
• Migraine with typical aura.