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Optometry/Ophthalmology Coding:
Analyze This Anisometropia IOL Implant Case
Published on Fri Mar 28, 2025
Question: A patient with anisometropia in their left eye presented for an intraocular lens (IOL) implant. The patient does not have a left eye cataract and previously had an IOL implantation in the right eye due to traumatic cataract surgery. The right IOL is causing anisometropia, which is why the provider removed the patient鈥檚 left natural lens to replace it with an IOL implant. What codes should I report for the procedure? Florida Subscriber Answer: You鈥檒l assign 66985 (Insertion of intraocular lens prosthesis (secondary implant), not associated with concurrent cataract removal) to report the IOL implant procedure for the patient鈥檚 left eye anisometropia. Append modifier LT (Left side) to this code to indicate laterality. For this situation, 66985 is the appropriate code for anisometropia management because the primary purpose of the IOL implant procedure is to correct the refractive imbalance between the left and right eyes. This procedure code may be reported regardless of whether the patient has a cataract. Mike Shaughnessy, BA, CPC, Development Editor, AAPC
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