H44.791 Retained (old) intraocular foreign body, nonmagnetic, in other or multiple sites, right eye

ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H44.791: Retained (old) intraocular foreign body, nonmagnetic, right eye

ICD-10-CM code H44.791 identifies a retained, nonmagnetic intraocular foreign body located in other or multiple sites of the right eye. The concept is classified as a finding and is an active terminology record. Intraocular foreign bodies generally result from accidental trauma and necessitate skillful investigation and early treatment. 1 2

Plain-language overview

Code H44.791 describes a finding where an old, nonmagnetic foreign object remains inside the right eye at other or multiple locations, and the terminology record assigns this specific preferred name to the concept. 1

What this code represents

The terminology record for H44.791 lists its preferred name as retained old intraocular foreign body, nonmagnetic, in other or multiple sites, right eye, and assigns the semantic type of finding. 1

Within the ICD-10-CM hierarchy, H44.791 is a narrower concept under the parent code H44.79 for retained old nonmagnetic intraocular foreign bodies in other or multiple sites. 1

Clinical context

An intraocular foreign body is an accidental injury often resulting from chisel hammering or firearm use, representing a major cause of morbidity in young populations that requires skillful investigation with early treatment. 2

Documentation considerations

Proper history and documentation are essential for intraocular foreign bodies due to medicolegal issues and large monetary compensation risks in cases of missed objects. 2

Clinical evaluation of an intraocular foreign body may involve CT scans, ultrasound biomicroscopy, and anterior segment optical coherence tomography to accurately estimate the foreign body size and location. 2

What the sources add

While the terminology record defines H44.791 as an active finding, a clinical reference details the broader trauma context, noting that visual prognosis depends on factors including size, site, composition, and tissue damage. 1 2

A Medicare billing article lists H44.791 within ophthalmology posterior segment imaging documentation, whereas the terminology record establishes its official diagnostic label and active status. 1 5

Coverage and utilization context

A Medicare ophthalmology billing article includes the code H44.791 and its official description within a list related to posterior segment imaging procedures. 5

Sources

1. ICD-10-CM H44.791 terminology record — National Cancer Institute Enterprise Vocabulary Services; accessed 2026-07-27.
2. Bookshelf — ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
3. Phecode 1001 · ExPRSweb — csg.sph.umich.edu; accessed 2026-07-27.
4. EVS Explore — evsexplore.semantics.cancer.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
5. Article - Billing and Coding: Ophthalmology: Posterior Segment Imaging (Extended Ophthalmoscopy and Fundus Photography) (A56726) — cms.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
6. ICD-10-CM Code H44.79 | Vero — veroscribe.com; accessed 2026-07-27.