Central retinal artery occlusion, bilateral

This code signifies a sudden and severe blockage of the main artery supplying blood to the retina in both eyes. This occlusion leads to acute, profound, and often irreversible vision loss in the affected eyes due to retinal ischemia.

This code is appropriate when documentation clearly indicates a central retinal artery occlusion affecting both the right and left eyes. It should be used when the physician explicitly diagnoses bilateral involvement of the central retinal artery.

• Ensure documentation specifies "bilateral" involvement; otherwise, use unilateral codes.
• Distinguish from branch retinal artery occlusion (H34.2-) which affects only a portion of the retina.
• Always sequence this code as the primary diagnosis if it is the reason for the encounter.