Tuberculous keratitis

This code signifies an inflammatory condition of the cornea caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It presents as corneal opacities, infiltrates, and sometimes ulceration, leading to impaired vision. This is a manifestation of tuberculosis affecting the eye.

Assign this code when documentation explicitly states a diagnosis of tuberculous keratitis. This typically occurs in patients with a history of tuberculosis or exposure, and ophthalmic examination confirms corneal involvement. Supporting documentation includes ophthalmology reports detailing corneal findings and a confirmed or suspected tuberculous etiology.

• Ensure documentation clearly links the keratitis to tuberculosis; otherwise, a non-specific keratitis code may be more appropriate.
• Always sequence the underlying tuberculosis infection (e.g., A15.-, A16.-) as the primary diagnosis, followed by this code as a manifestation.
• Look for specific details regarding laterality (e.g., right, left, bilateral) to determine if an additional laterality code is needed, though A18.52 itself does not specify laterality.