ICD-10-CM Book 2026 Edition

Chapters  /  Chapter 7  /  H53-H54  /  H54
H54 Blindness and low vision
Notes For definition of visual impairment categories see table below
CodeFirst any associated underlying cause of the blindness
Excludes1 amaurosis fugax (G45.3)
H54.0 Blindness, both eyes
Visual impairment categories 3, 4, 5 in both eyes.
H54.0X Blindness, both eyes, different category levels
H54.0X3 Blindness right eye, category 3
H54.0X33 Blindness right eye category 3, blindness left eye category 3
H54.0X34 Blindness right eye category 3, blindness left eye category 4
H54.0X35 Blindness right eye category 3, blindness left eye category 5
H54.0X4 Blindness right eye, category 4
H54.0X43 Blindness right eye category 4, blindness left eye category 3
H54.0X44 Blindness right eye category 4, blindness left eye category 4
H54.0X45 Blindness right eye category 4, blindness left eye category 5
H54.0X5 Blindness right eye, category 5
H54.0X53 Blindness right eye category 5, blindness left eye category 3
H54.0X54 Blindness right eye category 5, blindness left eye category 4
H54.0X55 Blindness right eye category 5, blindness left eye category 5
H54.1 Blindness, one eye, low vision other eye
Visual impairment categories 3, 4, 5 in one eye, with categories 1 or 2 in the other eye.
H54.10 Blindness, one eye, low vision other eye, unspecified eyes
H54.11 Blindness, right eye, low vision left eye
H54.113 Blindness right eye category 3, low vision left eye
H54.1131 Blindness right eye category 3, low vision left eye category 1
H54.1132 Blindness right eye category 3, low vision left eye category 2
H54.114 Blindness right eye category 4, low vision left eye
H54.1141 Blindness right eye category 4, low vision left eye category 1
H54.1142 Blindness right eye category 4, low vision left eye category 2
H54.115 Blindness right eye category 5, low vision left eye
H54.1151 Blindness right eye category 5, low vision left eye category 1
H54.1152 Blindness right eye category 5, low vision left eye category 2
H54.12 Blindness, left eye, low vision right eye
H54.121 Low vision right eye category 1, blindness left eye
H54.1213 Low vision right eye category 1, blindness left eye category 3
H54.1214 Low vision right eye category 1, blindness left eye category 4
H54.1215 Low vision right eye category 1, blindness left eye category 5
H54.122 Low vision right eye category 2, blindness left eye
H54.1223 Low vision right eye category 2, blindness left eye category 3
H54.1224 Low vision right eye category 2, blindness left eye category 4
H54.1225 Low vision right eye category 2, blindness left eye category 5
H54.2 Low vision, both eyes
Visual impairment categories 1 or 2 in both eyes.
H54.2X Low vision, both eyes, different category levels
H54.2X1 Low vision, right eye, category 1
H54.2X11 Low vision right eye category 1, low vision left eye category 1
H54.2X12 Low vision right eye category 1, low vision left eye category 2
H54.2X2 Low vision, right eye, category 2
H54.2X21 Low vision right eye category 2, low vision left eye category 1
H54.2X22 Low vision right eye category 2, low vision left eye category 2
H54.3 Unqualified visual loss, both eyes
Visual impairment category 9 in both eyes.
H54.4 Blindness, one eye
Visual impairment categories 3, 4, 5 in one eye [normal vision in other eye]
H54.40 Blindness, one eye, unspecified eye
H54.41 Blindness, right eye, normal vision left eye
H54.413 Blindness, right eye, category 3
H54.413A Blindness right eye category 3, normal vision left eye
H54.414 Blindness, right eye, category 4
H54.414A Blindness right eye category 4, normal vision left eye
H54.415 Blindness, right eye, category 5
H54.415A Blindness right eye category 5, normal vision left eye
H54.42 Blindness, left eye, normal vision right eye
H54.42A Blindness, left eye, category 3-5
H54.42A3 Blindness left eye category 3, normal vision right eye
H54.42A4 Blindness left eye category 4, normal vision right eye
H54.42A5 Blindness left eye category 5, normal vision right eye
H54.5 Low vision, one eye
Visual impairment categories 1 or 2 in one eye [normal vision in other eye].
H54.50 Low vision, one eye, unspecified eye
H54.51 Low vision, right eye, normal vision left eye
H54.511 Low vision, right eye, category 1
H54.511A Low vision right eye category 1, normal vision left eye
H54.512 Low vision, right eye, category 2
H54.512A Low vision right eye category 2, normal vision left eye
H54.52 Low vision, left eye, normal vision right eye
H54.52A Low vision, left eye, category 1-2
H54.52A1 Low vision left eye category 1, normal vision right eye
H54.52A2 Low vision left eye category 2, normal vision right eye
H54.6 Unqualified visual loss, one eye
Visual impairment category 9 in one eye [normal vision in other eye].
H54.60 Unqualified visual loss, one eye, unspecified
H54.61 Unqualified visual loss, right eye, normal vision left eye
H54.62 Unqualified visual loss, left eye, normal vision right eye
H54.7 Unspecified visual loss
Visual impairment category 9 NOS
nonPrimary Yes
H54.8 Legal blindness, as defined in USA
Blindness NOS according to USA definition
Excludes1 legal blindness with specification of impairment level (H54.0-H54.7)
Notes The table below gives a classification of severity of visual impairment recommended by a WHO Study Group on the Prevention of Blindness, Geneva, 6-10 November 1972.
The term 'low vision' in category H54 comprises categories 1 and 2 of the table, the term 'blindness' categories 3, 4 and 5, and the term 'unqualified visual loss' category 9.
If the extent of the visual field is taken into account, patients with a field no greater than 10 but greater than 5 around central fixation should be placed in category 3 and patients with a field no greater than 5 around central fixation should be placed in category 4, even if the central acuity is not impaired.