Glaucomatous optic atrophy, bilateral

This code signifies the presence of optic nerve damage due to glaucoma affecting both eyes. It indicates a specific type of optic neuropathy characterized by the progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells and their axons, leading to visual field defects.

Use this code when documentation explicitly states bilateral glaucomatous optic atrophy. This diagnosis is typically made based on ophthalmoscopic examination showing characteristic optic disc changes (e.g., increased cupping, thinning of the neuroretinal rim) in conjunction with visual field loss consistent with glaucoma in both eyes.

• Ensure documentation specifies "bilateral" involvement; otherwise, a unilateral code or unspecified code may be more appropriate.
• Distinguish from other forms of optic atrophy (e.g., ischemic, hereditary) which have different ICD-10-CM codes.
• Always code the underlying type of glaucoma (e.g., primary open-angle glaucoma) first, followed by this code for the associated optic atrophy.