H18.043 ICD-10-CM Code: Kayser-Fleischer ring, bilateral

Coding instructions

Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for H18.043 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list, quoted as published.

Source: CMS/CDC — ICD-10-CM Tabular ListRelease: FY2026Effective: October 1, 2025

Notes without a marker are published on H18.043 itself; “inherited from” names the category or block whose note applies here.

Coder workflow for H18.043

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

Before you code H18.043

1. Laterality is coded in this family. Confirm the side documented — right, left, or bilateral — and select the matching code (this page’s code: bilateral). The unspecified-side code applies only when the record states no side. Laterality is assigned from the documented side; where a bilateral code exists and both sides are documented, it is used instead of two unilateral codes (Guidelines I.B.13).

   See the relationships section · Guide: Laterality coding →

Choose the right path

1. Is the side documented?
   Yes → Select the code for the documented side (or the bilateral code when both sides are documented and one exists).
   No → Use the unspecified-side code only when the record states no side; a query is the alternative.

Consider H18.043. Then review the Code Also note, and confirm the code is valid for the date of service in the Verify section.

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).

Laterality

Right, left or bilateral as documented; unspecified only when the record states no side (Guidelines I.B.13).

Official instructions as workflow

• Code Also — related condition(1 note)

  Coding workflow: Review the related condition when both are documented and the instruction applies. A Code Also note does not fix sequencing; the order follows the circumstances of the encounter.

  ReviewE83.01

  See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.17

Coding decision scenarios

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

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 H18.043 with…

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

The codes most likely to be picked instead of H18.043 — 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.

• H18.049— Specificity relationship (Review)

  Overlapping diagnoses in the same category.

  Overlapping codes in the same category — the documentation decides which is the more specific fit.

  What moves you there: A record that documents no more than “Kayser-Fleischer ring, unspecified eye” takes H18.049; specificity in the record moves it back here.

  Full comparison: H18.043 vs H18.049 →

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.

Verify Before Coding

• No Medicare Code Editor or MS-DRG Definitions Manual restrictions apply to this code.

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 structured relationships — computed from published CMS and AHRQ datasets

Other codes that name H18.043 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 1 Code Also instruction: E83.01 — Wilson's disease (via H18.04.-).

These codes suggest coding this condition alongside when both are present.

MS-DRG Grouper Relationships (FY2026)

Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.

FY2026 MS-DRG: not on the CMS CC/MCC list — as a secondary diagnosis this code does not change MS-DRG severity for that release.

Named in the grouper logic of 2 MS-DRGs: DRG 124 (MDC 02), DRG 125 (MDC 02).

From the CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendices B and C). Actual DRG assignment depends on the complete claim.

Clinical classification (AHRQ CCSR):EYE001 — Cornea and external disease (default).

Clinical Classifications Software Refined (CCSR) for ICD-10-CM Diagnoses. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Related Codes

Same clinical category (CCSR)

AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software groups these diagnoses under the same clinical category (Cornea and external disease).

+809 more

Same Index main term, other category

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

D86.89 — Sarcoidosis of other sites (bone in Boeck's sarcoid), H11.11 — Conjunctival deposits (conjunctiva), H35.89 — Other specified retinal disorders (cholesterol, retina), H43.2 — Crystalline deposits in vitreous body (crystalline, vitreous), K03.6 — Deposits [accretions] on teeth (tooth, teeth), K22.2 — Esophageal obstruction (Schatzki's), N89.6 — Tight hymenal ring (hymenal, tight), O62.4 — Hypertonic, incoordinate, and prolonged uterine contractions (Bandl's), Q25.45 — Double aortic arch (aorta), Q25.8 — Other congenital malformations of other great arteries (vascular), Q39.3 — Congenital stenosis and stricture of esophagus (Schatzki's, congenital), R23.8 — Other skin changes (skin)

Contextual Map

Every relationship of H18.043 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 H18.043 with this related code in Claim Check

Hierarchy

• H00-H59 — Chapter 7: Diseases of the Eye and Adnexa (H00-H59) (H00-H59)[Hierarchy]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• H15-H22 — Disorders of sclera, cornea, iris and ciliary body[Hierarchy]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026

Referenced by Code Also instructions

• E83.01 — Wilson's disease[Code Also](via H18.04.-): “associated Kayser Fleischer ring (H18.04-)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026

Clinical classification (CCSR)

• EYE001 — Cornea and external disease[CCSR]— AHRQ CCSR for ICD-10-CM Diagnoses (HCUP)

MS-DRG Grouper

• DRG 124 — OTHER DISORDERS OF THE EYE WITH MCC OR THROMBOLYTIC AGENT[MS-DRG]: “OTHER DISORDERS OF THE EYE WITH MCC OR THROMBOLYTIC AGENT (MDC 02)”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendix B) · FY2026
• DRG 125 — OTHER DISORDERS OF THE EYE WITHOUT MCC[MS-DRG]: “OTHER DISORDERS OF THE EYE WITHOUT MCC (MDC 02)”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendix B) · FY2026

MDC crossing

• MDC 02 — Diseases and Disorders of the Eye[MDC crossing]: “Diseases and Disorders of the Eye — the grouper's crossing between diagnoses and procedures: a principal diagnosis sets the MDC, and same-MDC procedures move the stay to its surgical DRGs. 1,200 same-MDC procedures group here; browse them on the MDC page.”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual · FY2026

Nearest codes (40)

• H18 — Other disorders of cornea[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• H18.003 — Unspecified corneal deposit, bilateral[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• H18.009 — Unspecified corneal deposit, unspecified eye[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• H18.01 — Anterior corneal pigmentations[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• H18.011 — Anterior corneal pigmentations, right eye[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• H18.012 — Anterior corneal pigmentations, left eye[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• H18.013 — Anterior corneal pigmentations, bilateral[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• H18.019 — Anterior corneal pigmentations, unspecified eye[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• and 32 more

Change history

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

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 FY2026 tabular list, index and tables, effective October 1, 2025 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page

Claim edits Official source data

CMS Definitions of Medicare Code Edits — v43.1 (April 2026) Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page

Inpatient payment groups Official source data

CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (incl. Appendix B diagnosis index, Appendix C CC/MCC list, Appendix E procedure index) and IPPS Final Rule tables — v43 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 structured 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 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.

Labels on this page: Official source data · MedCoder structured relationship · MedCoder explanation. How to read the labels · All data sources and release dates

Nearest Codes in This Family

Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to H18.043 in its code family, with their registry titles.

• H18.033 — Corneal deposits in metabolic disorders, bilateral
• H18.039 — Corneal deposits in metabolic disorders, unspecified eye
• H18.04 — Kayser-Fleischer ring
• H18.041 — Kayser-Fleischer ring, right eye
• H18.042 — Kayser-Fleischer ring, left eye
• H18.049 — Kayser-Fleischer ring, unspecified eye
• H18.05 — Posterior corneal pigmentations
• H18.051 — Posterior corneal pigmentations, right eye
• H18.052 — Posterior corneal pigmentations, left eye
• H18.053 — Posterior corneal pigmentations, bilateral

View all codes in the H18 family