Glaucoma secondary to drugs, bilateral, severe stage

This code signifies a severe stage of glaucoma affecting both eyes, where the elevated intraocular pressure and optic nerve damage are directly attributable to the use of a medication. The drug-induced nature of the glaucoma is a key distinguishing factor. This condition can lead to significant vision loss if not managed appropriately.

Use this code when documentation clearly indicates bilateral glaucoma caused by systemic or topical drug therapy, and the severity is classified as severe. This typically requires physician documentation specifying the causative drug and the severe stage of glaucoma based on visual field defects and/or optic nerve damage.

• Ensure the medical record explicitly states the drug as the etiology of the glaucoma.
• Verify that both eyes are affected and the severity is documented as "severe."
• Always code the adverse effect of the drug (T36-T50 with a 5th or 6th character indicating adverse effect) as a secondary diagnosis.