Oth diabetes w unsp diabetic retinopathy w/o macular edema

This code describes a form of diabetes mellitus, other than Type 1 or Type 2, that is complicated by damage to the retina of the eye. Specifically, the retinopathy is not further specified as proliferative or nonproliferative, and there is no swelling of the macula. This indicates a diabetic patient experiencing retinal changes due to their diabetes, but without the specific detail of macular edema.

Use this code when documentation confirms a diagnosis of "other specified diabetes mellitus" and diabetic retinopathy is present, but the physician does not specify the type of retinopathy (e.g., proliferative, nonproliferative) and explicitly states or implies the absence of macular edema. This code is appropriate when the retinopathy is noted but lacks further detailed characterization.

• Always sequence the diabetes code first, as it is the underlying condition causing the retinopathy.
• Ensure the documentation clearly states "other specified diabetes mellitus" and mentions diabetic retinopathy without macular edema.
• If the type of retinopathy (e.g., proliferative, nonproliferative) or the presence of macular edema is documented, a more specific code should be used.