H26.139 Total traumatic cataract, unspecified eye

ICD-10-CM Code H26.139: Total traumatic cataract, unspecified eye

ICD-10-CM code H26.139 identifies a total traumatic cataract in an unspecified eye, classifying this ocular injury as active within the 2026 terminology. Traumatic cataracts represent a notable cause of vision loss following eye trauma. This reference outlines the code's structural hierarchy and clinical context. 1 2

Plain-language overview

Traumatic cataract represents a significant cause of vision loss following ocular trauma, and both blunt and penetrating traumas can lead to the development of this condition. 2

Clinical examination of a patient with a history of trauma and decreased vision may show evidence of a traumatic cataract, which can obscure accurate slit-lamp examination results. 2

What this code represents

The diagnosis code H26.139 represents a total traumatic cataract when the documentation does not specify whether the right, left, or bilateral eyes are affected. 1

Within the ICD-10-CM terminology, H26.139 holds an active record status and is semantically classified as an injury or poisoning concept rather than a general disease. 1

Coding details

The code H26.139 falls under the parent concept H26.13 for total traumatic cataract, and the terminology record indicates that this specific code possesses narrower descendant concepts. 1

Billing and coding articles list lateralized codes for total traumatic cataracts, including H26.132 for the left eye and H26.133 for bilateral involvement. 4

Documentation considerations

Clinical documentation of a traumatic cataract may involve anterior segment optical coherence tomography to visualize lenticular changes, the posterior capsule, and zonular integrity before surgery. 2

What the sources add

While terminology records define the hierarchical structure of H26.139, clinical literature adds that anterior segment optical coherence tomography assists surgical planning by detecting intraocular foreign bodies obscured by traumatic cataracts. 1 2

Coverage and utilization context

Medicare billing and coding articles for adult cataract surgery include total traumatic cataract codes in their listed coverage documents, distinguishing them from other cataract diagnoses like H26.211. 4

Sources

1. ICD-10-CM H26.139 terminology record — National Cancer Institute Enterprise Vocabulary Services; accessed 2026-07-27.
2. Clinical application of anterior segment optical coherence tomography in ocular emergencies: A comprehensive review — pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
3. Phecode 366.3 · ExPRSweb — csg.sph.umich.edu; accessed 2026-07-27.
4. Article - Billing and Coding: Cataract Surgery in Adults (A57196) — cms.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
5. Article - Billing and Coding: Cataract Extraction (including Complex Cataract Surgery) (A58592) — cms.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
6. Billing and Coding: Cataract Extraction (including Complex ... — aao.org; accessed 2026-07-27.