Sympathetic uveitis, left eye

This code describes inflammation of the uvea (iris, ciliary body, and choroid) in the left eye that occurs as a secondary autoimmune response to trauma or surgery in the fellow eye. It is a rare but severe form of bilateral granulomatous panuveitis.

Assign this code when documentation specifies sympathetic uveitis affecting the left eye. This condition typically develops weeks to years after penetrating ocular injury or intraocular surgery to the right eye. Documentation should clearly indicate the laterality of the affected eye.

• Always confirm laterality (left eye) from the physician's documentation.
• Do not confuse with other forms of uveitis; sympathetic uveitis has a specific etiology.
• Consider sequencing this code after the code for the initial ocular trauma or surgical complication, if still relevant to the current encounter.