H44.629

What This Code Means

A magnetic foreign object that has been lodged in the iris or ciliary body (colored part of the eye or muscle that controls lens focus) for an extended period, and the specific eye affected is not documented. This is typically a result of a past eye injury that was not immediately removed.

Coding Tips

• •Use this code only when the documentation does not specify whether the foreign body is in the right eye (H44.621), left eye (H44.622), or when truly bilateral/unspecified. Query the provider if laterality can be determined from clinical notes or imaging.
• •Ensure the foreign body is documented as magnetic and retained/old (not acute/recent). If the foreign body is non-magnetic, use code H44.629 from the non-magnetic series instead (H44.629 is specifically for magnetic bodies).