1. H54 Blindness and low vision

    Note: For definition of visual impairment categories see table below

    Excludes1

    1. H54.0 Blindness, both eyes

      Inclusion term(s):

      • Visual impairment categories 3, 4, 5 in both eyes.
      1. H54.0X Blindness, both eyes, different category levels

        • H54.0X3 Blindness right eye, category 3
        • H54.0X4 Blindness right eye, category 4
        • H54.0X5 Blindness right eye, category 5
    2. H54.1 Blindness, one eye, low vision other eye

      Inclusion term(s):

      • Visual impairment categories 3, 4, 5 in one eye, with categories 1 or 2 in the other eye.
      1. H54.10 Blindness, one eye, low vision other eye, unspecified eyes

      2. H54.11 Blindness, right eye, low vision left eye

        • H54.113 Blindness right eye category 3, low vision left eye
        • H54.114 Blindness right eye category 4, low vision left eye
        • H54.115 Blindness right eye category 5, low vision left eye
      3. H54.12 Blindness, left eye, low vision right eye

        • H54.121 Low vision right eye category 1, blindness left eye
        • H54.122 Low vision right eye category 2, blindness left eye
    3. H54.2 Low vision, both eyes

      Inclusion term(s):

      • Visual impairment categories 1 or 2 in both eyes.
      1. H54.2X Low vision, both eyes, different category levels

        • H54.2X1 Low vision, right eye, category 1
        • H54.2X2 Low vision, right eye, category 2
    4. H54.3 Unqualified visual loss, both eyes

      Inclusion term(s):

      • Visual impairment category 9 in both eyes.
    5. H54.4 Blindness, one eye

      Inclusion term(s):

      • Visual impairment categories 3, 4, 5 in one eye [normal vision in other eye]
      1. H54.40 Blindness, one eye, unspecified eye

      2. H54.41 Blindness, right eye, normal vision left eye

        • H54.413 Blindness, right eye, category 3
        • H54.414 Blindness, right eye, category 4
        • H54.415 Blindness, right eye, category 5
      3. H54.42 Blindness, left eye, normal vision right eye

        • H54.42A Blindness, left eye, category 3-5
    6. H54.5 Low vision, one eye

      Inclusion term(s):

      • Visual impairment categories 1 or 2 in one eye [normal vision in other eye].
      1. H54.50 Low vision, one eye, unspecified eye

      2. H54.51 Low vision, right eye, normal vision left eye

        • H54.511 Low vision, right eye, category 1
        • H54.512 Low vision, right eye, category 2
      3. H54.52 Low vision, left eye, normal vision right eye

        • H54.52A Low vision, left eye, category 1-2
    7. H54.6 Unqualified visual loss, one eye

      Inclusion term(s):

      • Visual impairment category 9 in one eye [normal vision in other eye].
      1. H54.60 Unqualified visual loss, one eye, unspecified

      2. H54.61 Unqualified visual loss, right eye, normal vision left eye

      3. H54.62 Unqualified visual loss, left eye, normal vision right eye

    8. H54.7 Unspecified visual loss

      Inclusion term(s):

      • Visual impairment category 9 NOS
    9. H54.8 Legal blindness, as defined in USA

      Note: 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.

      Inclusion term(s):

      • Blindness NOS according to USA definition
Abbreviations used here:

NEC Not elsewhere classifiable
This abbreviation in the Tabular List represents “other specified”. When a specific code is not available for a condition, the Tabular List includes an NEC entry under a code to identify the code as the “other specified” code.

NOS Not otherwise specified
This abbreviation is the equivalent of unspecified.