T15.91 ICD-10-CM Code: Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, right eye
Billing Status: NO. This is a clinician non-billable / parent hierarchy grouping in the ICD-10-CM system.
Official Registry Overview & Definition
Official Tabular Instructional Notes
Sequencing, inclusion, and exclusion notes published for T15.91 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list.
Excludes2 — Not Included Here
Conditions not covered by this code, but which may be reported alongside it when both are present.
- foreign body in penetrating wound of orbit and eye ball (S05.4-, S05.5-) Compare T15.91 vs S05.4 →
- open wound of eyelid and periocular area (S01.1-) Compare T15.91 vs S01.1 →
- retained foreign body in eyelid (H02.8-) Compare T15.91 vs H02.8 →
- retained (old) foreign body in penetrating wound of orbit and eye ball (H05.5-, H44.6-, H44.7-) Compare T15.91 vs H05.5 →
- superficial foreign body of eyelid and periocular area (S00.25-) Compare T15.91 vs S00.25 →
- foreign body accidentally left in operation wound (T81.5-) Compare T15.91 vs T81.5 →
- foreign body in penetrating wound - See open wound by body region
- residual foreign body in soft tissue (M79.5) Compare T15.91 vs M79.5 →
- splinter, without open wound - See superficial injury by body region
Use Additional Code
Supplementary codes the tabular list directs you to add.
- Use additional code, if known, for foreign body entering into or through a natural orifice (W44.-)
Change history
No changes recorded for this code — unchanged since the FY2016 baseline of the change ledger.
Verify Before Coding
- Not billable as written — a more specific code is required: T15.91XA, T15.91XD, T15.91XS.
- Requires a 7th character. "The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T15" Options: T15.91XA, T15.91XD, T15.91XS
From the code registry, the Medicare Code Editor, and the MS-DRG Definitions Manual. Check it against a full claim.
Contextual Map
Every relationship of T15.91 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.
Hierarchy
- S00-T88 — Chapter 19: Injury, Poisoning and Certain Other Consequences of External Causes (S00-T88) (S00-T88) [Hierarchy]
Referenced by Excludes1 notes
- Z18 — Retained foreign body fragments [Excludes1](via T15.-): “foreign body entering through orifice (T15-T19)” · check together
Referenced by Excludes2 notes (11)
- S00 — Superficial injury of head [Excludes2](via T15.-): “effects of foreign body on external eye (T15.-)” · check together
- S00-S09 — Injuries to the head (S00-S09) [Excludes2](via T15.-): “effects of foreign body on external eye (T15.-)” · check together
- S01 — Open wound of head [Excludes2](via T15.-): “effects of foreign body on external eye (T15.-)” · check together
- S02 — Fracture of skull and facial bones [Excludes2](via T15.-): “effects of foreign body on external eye (T15.-)” · check together
- S03 — Dislocation and sprain of joints and ligaments of head [Excludes2](via T15.-): “effects of foreign body on external eye (T15.-)” · check together
- S04 — Injury of cranial nerve [Excludes2](via T15.-): “effects of foreign body on external eye (T15.-)” · check together
- S05 — Injury of eye and orbit [Excludes2](via T15.-): “effects of foreign body on external eye (T15.-)” · check together
- S06 — Intracranial injury [Excludes2](via T15.-): “effects of foreign body on external eye (T15.-)” · check together
- and 3 more
Nearest codes (40)
- T15 — Foreign body on external eye [Sibling]
- T15.02XD — Foreign body in cornea, left eye, subsequent encounter [Sibling]
- T15.02XS — Foreign body in cornea, left eye, sequela [Sibling]
- T15.1 — Foreign body in conjunctival sac [Sibling]
- T15.10 — Foreign body in conjunctival sac, unspecified eye [Sibling]
- T15.10XA — Foreign body in conjunctival sac, unspecified eye, initial encounter [Sibling]
- T15.10XD — Foreign body in conjunctival sac, unspecified eye, subsequent encounter [Sibling]
- T15.10XS — Foreign body in conjunctival sac, unspecified eye, sequela [Sibling]
- and 32 more
Referenced by Other Codes
Official ICD-10-CM tabular notes on other codes that name T15.91 or its code family.
1 Excludes1 notes: Z18 (via T15.-).
11 Excludes2 notes: S00 (via T15.-), S00-S09 (via T15.-), S01 (via T15.-), S02 (via T15.-), S03 (via T15.-), S04 (via T15.-), S05 (via T15.-), S06 (via T15.-), S07 (via T15.-), S08 (via T15.-) and 1 more.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Clinical Guidance
Can T15.91 be billed directly?
No. T15.91 (Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, right eye) is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code. A more specific billable subcode must be selected based on clinical documentation.
Does T15.91 require a 7th character?
Yes. The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T15.
Nearest Codes in This Family
Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to T15.91 in its code family, with their registry titles.
- T15.9 — Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified
- T15.90 — Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, unspecified eye
- T15.90XA — Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, unspecified eye, initial encounter
- T15.90XD — Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, unspecified eye, subsequent encounter
- T15.90XS — Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, unspecified eye, sequela
- T15.91XA — Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, right eye, initial encounter
- T15.91XD — Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, right eye, subsequent encounter
- T15.91XS — Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, right eye, sequela
- T15.92 — Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, left eye
- T15.92XA — Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified, left eye, initial encounter