Ophthalmology and Optometry Coding Alert

Test your coding knowledge.  Determine how you would code this situation before looking at the box below for the answer.
Question: Which diagnosis code should I use for occasional crossing of eyes? Our ophthalmologist often examines babies brought in by mothers who say they notice this, but the exam shows that the child is normal.

New York Subscriber

Answer: This question is often asked because there has never been a diagnosis code for pseudo-strabismus or pseudo-esotropia, which are the typical names physicians use for this condition. "Pseudo" means false and is used in these cases to indicate that the baby is normal and does not have strabismus/esotropia. Use the diagnosis code that describes what makes the child appear cross-eyed: 743.63 (Congenital anomalies of eyelids, lacrimal system, and orbit; other specified congenital anomalies of eyelid). Do not use one of the esotropia diagnosis codes (378.21, 372.22) because the child does not have that condition, only pseudo-esotropia which has no diagnosis code.