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H05.5 ICD-10-CM Code: Retained (old) foreign body following penetrating wound of orbit

Compare with another code for H05.5Check this code on a claim

Billing Status: NO. This is a non-billable ICD-10-CM code: report a more specific billable code beneath it.

Coding at a Glance

Tabular directives
1 inclusion term · 2 Excludes1 · 4 Excludes2 · 1 use-additional instruction

Not billable · FY2027A non-billable heading in the tabular list: report a more specific code beneath it.

What you need to know

Source: CMS/NCHS Official ICD-10-CM tabular notes, quoted. From the CMS/NCHS tabular list for the release in force. A note the category or block publishes applies to this code too, and is marked with where it comes from.

Use additional codeReport with this code when documented
  • Use additional code to identify the type of retained foreign body (Z18.-)
Excludes1Not reported with this code unless documented as unrelated
  • current penetrating wound of orbit (S05.4-)
  • congenital malformation of orbit (Q10.7) (from H05)
Excludes2Not included here; may be reported together
  • retained foreign body of eyelid (H02.81-)
  • retained intraocular foreign body (H44.6-, H44.7-)
  • open wound of eyelid (S01.1-) (from H00-H05)
  • superficial injury of eyelid (S00.1-, S00.2-) (from H00-H05)
IncludesWhat this code covers
  • Retrobulbar foreign body

Where it sits Source: CMS/NCHS

Under:Chapter 7: Diseases of the Eye and AdnexaH00-H05 Disorders of eyelid, lacrimal system and orbitH05 Disorders of orbit

Codes under H05.5 (4)

  • H05.50Retained (old) foreign body following penetrating wound of unspecified orbitBillable
  • H05.51Retained (old) foreign body following penetrating wound of right orbitBillable
  • H05.52Retained (old) foreign body following penetrating wound of left orbitBillable
  • H05.53Retained (old) foreign body following penetrating wound of bilateral orbitsBillable

Most relevant related codes MedCoder-derived

Read off the official notes above and this code’s own position in the tabular list. Which to report is a documentation question; Compare shows the two side by side.

CompareCheck ClaimView Related Codes

Coding instructions

Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for H05.5 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list, quoted as published.

Source: CMS/CDC — ICD-10-CM Tabular ListRelease: FY2027Effective: October 1, 2026

Trace:FY2027 changesChange historyRelease, file and checksum

Notes without a marker are published on H05.5 itself; “inherited from” names the category or block whose note applies here.

Inclusion Terms

Alternative terms the tabular list files under this code.

  • Retrobulbar foreign body

Excludes1 — Not Coded Here

Conditions generally not reported together with this code (Excludes1) -- an error unless the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).

Excludes2 — Not Included Here

Conditions not covered by this code, but which may be reported alongside it when both are present.

Use Additional Code

Supplementary codes the tabular list directs you to add.

  • Use additional code to identify the type of retained foreign body (Z18.-)

Coder workflow for H05.5

MedCoder structured workflow — derived from this code’s own official record

Before you code H05.5

  1. H05.5 is not reportable as written. Select the more specific code beneath it that the documentation supports. Codes are reported to the highest level of specificity the classification provides (Guidelines I.B.2).

    ReviewH05.50, H05.51, H05.52, H05.53

    See the relationships section · Guide: How to choose an ICD-10-CM code →

  2. Check the Excludes1 note: if the documentation supports a condition named there, do not simply proceed with the code beneath H05.5. Excludes1 conditions are not reported together with this code unless the record shows they are unrelated (Guidelines I.A.12.a).

    See the official tabular notes

Choose the right path

  1. Does the documentation support one of the more specific codes beneath H05.5?
    Yes → Select that code and continue the checks below on its own page.
    No → H05.5 cannot be reported as written. Where the codes beneath it include an unspecified code, that code applies when the record goes no further; otherwise query for the missing detail.

    ReviewH05.50, H05.51, H05.52, H05.53

  2. Does the documentation support a condition named in H05.5’s Excludes1 note?
    Yes → Do not simply proceed: review the excluded code. Both are reported only when the record shows the two conditions are unrelated.
    No → Continue.

    ReviewS05.4, Q10.7

Report the code beneath H05.5 that the documentation supports, not H05.5 itself. Then work the Use Additional Code note, and confirm that code is valid for the date of service on its own page.

Documentation check

The provider’s diagnostic statement
Codes are assigned from the provider’s documented diagnosis, not from clinical criteria, test values or a medication list (Guidelines I.A.19).
The conditions the Use Additional Code note names
Reported with this code when documented; a conditional instruction (“if applicable”, “if known”) applies only when the record supports it.

Official instructions as workflow

  • Excludes1 — check before selecting H05.5(2 notes)

    Coding workflow: If the documentation supports a condition named in this note, do not simply proceed with H05.5: the two are not reported together. The one exception is when the record shows the two conditions are unrelated to each other.

    CompareS05.4, Q10.7

    See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.12.a

  • Excludes2 — not part of H05.5(4 notes)

    Coding workflow: The conditions named in this note are not included in H05.5. When the record documents both, both may be reported; the note is a boundary, not a prohibition.

    CompareH02.81, H44.6, H44.7, S01.1, S00.1, S00.2

    See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.12.b

  • Use Additional Code — after identifying H05.5(1 note)

    Coding workflow: Check whether the documentation supports the additional code(s) the note names, and report them with H05.5 when it does. Where the instruction is conditional (“if applicable”, “if known”), it applies only when the record documents the condition.

    ReviewZ18

    See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.13

Coding decision scenarios

Pattern scenarios for this code’s structure — decision rules, not clinical cases

Documentation: Both the condition H05.5 describes and a condition named in its Excludes1 note are documented for the same encounter.

Coding question: Can both codes be reported?

Path: Review the Excludes1 note and the excluded code, and look for a provider statement on whether the two conditions are related.

Reason: Excludes1 means the two are not coded together; the exception is when the record shows the conditions are unrelated to each other (Guidelines I.A.12.a).

ReviewS05.4, Q10.7

Documentation: A condition the Use Additional Code note names is documented.

Coding question: Is a second code reported with the code beneath H05.5?

Path: Review the Use Additional Code note and the code it names.

Reason: The additional code is reported when the record documents the condition; a conditional instruction applies only when its condition is met (Guidelines I.A.13).

ReviewZ18

Every row is derived from this code’s own record — its title, tabular notes, 7th-character family and same-category siblings — with fixed MedCoder wording; nothing is inferred about a patient. The official notes and guideline text are in the sections each row links to, and they control.

Don’t confuse H05.5 with…

MedCoder analysis — pairs from this code’s official notes, distinctions written by MedCoder

The codes most likely to be picked instead of H05.5 — named in its own official notes, or sharing its laterality or encounter family — with what separates them and which documentation moves the case. Each links to the full comparison.

  • S05.4— Excludes1 conflict (Excludes1 — generally not reported together)

    Not coded here — the tabular list excludes this pair for the same encounter.

    Not reported together with this code, except where the two conditions are documented as unrelated.

    What moves you there: Documentation of current penetrating wound of orbit moves the case to S05.4; the two are not reported together unless documented as unrelated.

    Full comparison: H05.5 vs S05.4 →

  • Q10.7— Excludes1 conflict (Excludes1 — generally not reported together)

    Not coded here — the tabular list excludes this pair for the same encounter.

    Not reported together with this code, except where the two conditions are documented as unrelated.

    What moves you there: Documentation of congenital malformation of orbit moves the case to Q10.7; the two are not reported together unless documented as unrelated.

    Full comparison: H05.5 vs Q10.7 →

  • H02.81— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

    Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

    A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

    What moves you there: Documentation of retained foreign body of eyelid adds H02.81; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

    Full comparison: H05.5 vs H02.81 →

  • H44.6— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

    Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

    A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

    What moves you there: Documentation of retained intraocular foreign body adds H44.6; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

    Full comparison: H05.5 vs H44.6 →

  • H44.7— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

    Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

    A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

    What moves you there: Documentation of retained intraocular foreign body adds H44.7; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

    Full comparison: H05.5 vs H44.7 →

  • S01.1— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

    Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

    A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

    What moves you there: Documentation of open wound of eyelid adds S01.1; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

    Full comparison: H05.5 vs S01.1 →

Relationships are read from this code's own official notes, its laterality siblings and its encounter family; the wording of each distinction is MedCoder editorial, and the documentation named in each “what moves you there” line is the official note phrase or sibling title itself. Source: CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes; ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a.

Coding context

Guidelines, coding notes, decision aids, relationships (with MS-DRG and CCSR classification), hierarchy, HCC, coverage and the context map: what a coder reaches for after the core. Each section names whether it is official source data, a MedCoder-derived relationship or MedCoder editorial.

Code Overview

Retained (old) foreign body following penetrating wound of orbit is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (H05.5). A more specific billable subcode must be selected for claims submission.

MedCoder summary Summary composed by MedCoder from this code's official ICD-10-CM record. The tabular instructional notes themselves appear verbatim below.

Decision Points

The directives on this code's own record, as a pre-claim checklist.

  1. 1 Use Additional Code instruction — report the named additional code(s) when the documentation supports them. See the Use Additional Code notes
  2. 2 Excludes1 entries — codes named there are generally not reported together with this code (Guidelines I.A.12.a). See the Excludes1 notes
  3. 4 Excludes2 entries — those conditions are not part of this code and may be reported additionally when documented. See the Excludes2 notes

Checklist rows are derived from this code's own official directives; the wording of each check is MedCoder editorial. The official notes themselves are in the sections each row links to.

Verify Before Coding

From the code registry, the Medicare Code Editor, and the MS-DRG Definitions Manual. Check it against a full claim in Claim Check.

Relationships & Classification

MedCoder-derived relationships — computed from published CMS and AHRQ datasets

Other codes that name H05.5 or its code family, from the CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes. Tabular-note edges are stored at the code family level that carries each note.

Referenced by 4 Excludes2 notes across 2 chapters: H44.6 — Retained (old) intraocular foreign body, magnetic, H44.7 — Retained (old) intraocular foreign body, nonmagnetic, S05.4 — Penetrating wound of orbit with or without foreign body, T15 — Foreign body on external eye.

These codes’ tabular lists name this diagnosis as distinct — both may be reported when both are documented.

Related Codes

Same Index main term, other category

The ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries files this code under the main term “Foreign body”; these codes share that main term but sit in a different category of the Tabular List.

H02.811 — Retained foreign body in right upper eyelid (retained, eyelid, right, upper), H02.812 — Retained foreign body in right lower eyelid (retained, eyelid, right, lower), H02.813 — Retained foreign body in right eye, unspecified eyelid (retained, eyelid, right), H02.814 — Retained foreign body in left upper eyelid (retained, eyelid, left, upper), H02.815 — Retained foreign body in left lower eyelid (retained, eyelid, left, lower), H02.816 — Retained foreign body in left eye, unspecified eyelid (retained, eyelid, left), H02.819 — Retained foreign body in unspecified eye, unspecified eyelid (retained, eyelid), H44.60 — Unspecified retained (old) intraocular foreign body, magnetic (intraocular, old, retained, magnetic), H44.61 — Retained (old) magnetic foreign body in anterior chamber (intraocular, old, retained, magnetic, anterior chamber), H44.62 — Retained (old) magnetic foreign body in iris or ciliary body (intraocular, old, retained, magnetic, iris), H44.63 — Retained (old) magnetic foreign body in lens (intraocular, old, retained, magnetic, lens), H44.64 — Retained (old) magnetic foreign body in posterior wall of globe (intraocular, old, retained, magnetic, posterior wall), H44.65 — Retained (old) magnetic foreign body in vitreous body (intraocular, old, retained, magnetic, vitreous body), H44.69 — Retained (old) intraocular foreign body, magnetic, in other or multiple sites (intraocular, old, retained, magnetic, specified site NEC), H44.70 — Unspecified retained (old) intraocular foreign body, nonmagnetic (intraocular, old, retained), H44.71 — Retained (nonmagnetic) (old) foreign body in anterior chamber (intraocular, old, retained, anterior chamber), H44.72 — Retained (nonmagnetic) (old) foreign body in iris or ciliary body (intraocular, old, retained, iris), H44.73 — Retained (nonmagnetic) (old) foreign body in lens (intraocular, old, retained, lens), H44.74 — Retained (nonmagnetic) (old) foreign body in posterior wall of globe (intraocular, old, retained, posterior wall), H44.75 — Retained (nonmagnetic) (old) foreign body in vitreous body (intraocular, old, retained, vitreous body), +179 more

Contextual Map

Every relationship of H05.5 in one view: hierarchy, official tabular instructions in both directions, clinical classification, risk adjustment, MS-DRG participation, index terms and change history — each edge carrying the CMS source it derives from.

Run H05.5 with these 6 related codes in Claim Check

Hierarchy

Excludes1

Excludes2

Use Additional Code

Referenced by Excludes2 notes

Nearest codes (40)

Change history

  • FY2016 — In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption [Change history]— CMS release files (code change ledger) · icd10cm-fy2016

Reference

Index terms and tables, published questions and FAQ, every source behind this page with its release and checksum, the date-of-service check and the complete change history.

Common coding questions

MedCoder editorial

Can H05.5 be billed directly?

No. H05.5 (Retained (old) foreign body following penetrating wound of orbit) is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code. A more specific billable subcode must be selected based on clinical documentation.

Sources for this page

Codes, titles, notes, index terms and mappings on this page are transcribed from the datasets below. Relationships MedCoder computed and text MedCoder wrote are labelled where they appear.

Code, title, tabular notes and index terms Official source data
CMS/CDC ICD-10-CM FY2027 tabular list, index and tables, effective October 1, 2026 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Claim edits Official source data
CMS Definitions of Medicare Code Edits — v44.0 (October 2026) Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Change history and date-of-service validity Official source data
CMS ICD-10-CM release addenda, ingested release by release into the change ledger Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Comparisons, relationships and the contextual map MedCoder-derived relationship
Computed by MedCoder from the tabular notes and tables above; every derived relationship is marked as derived where it appears
Summary and FAQ answers MedCoder editorial explanation
Written by MedCoder to explain the sources above: drafted with AI assistance, checked by a person against the release files, and labelled as MedCoder text where it appears. Not official text.

Current data releases:ICD-10-CM FY2027 · ICD-10-PCS FY2027 · HCPCS October 2026 · MS-DRG v44 · Medicare Code Editor v44.0 · NCCI PTP Q4 2026 · MUE Q4 2026 · NCD code lists 2026-01 · LCD export September 28, 2026 · All releases and sources

Labels on this page: Official source data · MedCoder-derived relationship · MedCoder editorial explanation. How to read the labels · All data sources and release dates · CMS coding rules

Cite this page

Reference this page in a research guide, syllabus or article. The release is included because code content changes each year.

MedCoder.ai. "H05.5 — Retained (old) foreign body following penetrating wound of orbit." ICD-10-CM FY2027. https://medcoder.ai/icd10/code/h05.5-retained-old-foreign-body-following-penetrating-wound-of-orbit

Change history

  • FY2016 — October 1, 2015
    In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption
    Retained (old) foreign body following penetrating wound of orbit

No changes since FY2016 — additions, deletions, description changes and billable-status changes are tracked through FY2027, and none are recorded for this code. Note changes are tracked from FY2027 only.

Nearest Codes in This Family

Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to H05.5 in its code family, with their registry titles.

View all codes in the H05 family