031-033 Hypertensive Retinopathy.
Hypertensive retinopathy is retinal vascular damage caused by hypertension. Signs usually develop late in the disease. Funduscopic examination shows arteriolar constriction, arteriovenous nicking, vascular wall changes, flame-shaped hemorrhages, cotton-wool spots, yellow hard exudates, and optic disk edema.
Unspecified background retinopathy H35. 00 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes. The 2022 edition of ICD-10-CM H35. 00 became effective on October 1, 2021.
032.
OCULAR COMPLICATIONS OF HYPERTENSION High blood pressure can damage blood vessels in the retina. Hypertensive retinopathy is damage to the retina due to a systemic blood pressure higher than the eye can tolerate.
Both cause damage to the retina, but they have different causes. Diabetic retinopathy is caused by high blood sugar. Hypertensive retinopathy is caused by high blood pressure. Both conditions are diagnosed by an eye doctor.
Background retinopathy is an early stage of retinal damage when small blood vessels in the retina show signs of damage that can result from diabetes.
362.01 - Background diabetic retinopathy | ICD-10-CM.
If “blindness” or “visual loss” is documented without any information about whether one or both eyes are affected, assign code H54. 7, Unspecified visual loss.
Essential (primary) hypertension: I10 ICD-10 uses only a single code for individuals who meet criteria for hypertension and do not have comorbid heart or kidney disease. That code is I10, Essential (primary) hypertension.
The code for essential (primary) hypertension, I10, does not include elevated blood pressure without a diagnosis of hypertension. heart disease: I11. 0 (with heart failure) and I11. 9 (without heart failure).
401.9 - Unspecified essential hypertension | ICD-10-CM.
Malignant hypertension, which is a rare condition that causes blood pressure to increase suddenly, interfering with vision and causing sudden vision loss. This is a potentially life threatening condition.
Hypertensive retinopathy is a common complication of systemic hypertension. Hypertensive choroidopathy is a less-common complication of systemic hypertension but can be the harbinger of a potentially life-threatening hypertensive emergency with end-organ damage.
As long as your blood pressure is managed, you can heal and recover much of your sight. People who develop Grade 4 hypertensive retinopathy will have permanent vision damage, but grades before that can still recover.
In severe cases permanent damage to the optic nerve or macula can occur. The retina is the internal layer of the eye that receives and transmits focused images. The retina is normally red due to its rich blood supply. Damage to the retina from high blood pressure is called hypertensive retinopathy.