H47.619

What This Code Means

Cortical blindness is vision loss caused by damage to the part of the brain that processes sight (the visual cortex), rather than from problems with the eyes themselves. The unspecified side notation means the documentation does not indicate whether the damage is on the left side, right side, or both sides of the brain.

Coding Tips

• •Query the provider if documentation specifies which side of the brain is affected, as codes H47.611 (right side) and H47.612 (left side) are more specific and may be more appropriate than the unspecified code
• •Ensure the blindness is documented as cortical (brain-related) rather than from ocular causes like cataracts or retinal disease, which would use different code categories