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Ophthalmology and Optometry Coding Alert

You Be the Coder:

EO for Flashers and Floaters

Published on Mon Feb 28, 2011

Question: A patient reports flashes and floaters but the ophthalmologist does not find evidence of retinal pathology on routine ophthalmoscopy. Are we justified in billing for extended ophthalmoscopy (EO)?Answer: If the ophthalmoscopy is a routine part of a patient's eye exam, do not bill for it separately.However, complaints of flashers and floaters are always serious and must be evaluated carefully; often, these symptoms will justify extended ophthalmoscopy (92225, Ophthalmoscopy, extended, with retinal drawing [e.g., for retinal detachment, melanoma], with interpretation and report; initial).Use 92225 to report a Goldmann-3 exam (examining the retina with a three-mirror goniolens). Remember to provide your formal interpretation and report of the findings in the patient's medical record.In many cases in which flashers and floaters are present, extended ophthalmoscopy (EO) combined with a retinal exam shows vitreous degeneration or posterior vitreous detachment (379.21, Vitreous degeneration). If an ophthalmologist does not see anything in the routine ophthalmoscopy, [...]
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