H50.5

Clinical Information

• Misalignment of the visual axes of the eyes. In comitant strabismus the degree of ocular misalignment does not vary with the direction of gaze. In noncomitant strabismus the degree of misalignment varies depending on direction of gaze or which eye is fixating on the target. miller, walsh & hoyt’s clinical neuro-ophthalmology, 4th ed, p641)

• Strabismus is the intermittent or constant misalignment of an eye so that its line of vision is not pointed at the same object as the other eye. Strabismus is caused by an imbalance in the extraocular muscles which control the positioning of the eyes. Strabismus is normal in newborns but should resolve by the time the baby is 6 months old. In older children with strabismus, the brain may learn to ignore the input from one eye, and this may lead to amblyopia, a potentially permanent decrease in vision in that eye if not corrected.

Details

• H50.5 should not be used for reimbursement purposes as there are multiple codes below it that contain a greater level of detail.

• The 2023 edition of ICD-10-CM H50.5 became effective on October 1, 2022.

• This is the American ICD-10-CM version of H50.5 – other international versions of ICD-10 H50.5 may differ.