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ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code

T15.9Foreign body on external eye, part unspecified

Not billable — use a more specific codeRequires 7th character

T15.9 is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself. Choose one of the 3 more specific codes beneath it and add the required 7th character.

Code unchanged since ICD-10-CM took effect on October 1, 2015. Source: official FY2027 ICD-10-CM release from CDC/NCHS and CMS. Page updated September 29, 2026. About our data

About T15.9

T15.9 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for foreign body on external eye, part unspecified. It belongs to category T15 (foreign body on external eye), block T15-T19 (effects of foreign body entering through natural orifice) and chapter 19 (injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes). It is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself; one of its 3 subcodes must be used instead.

Within T15, choose T15.9 (part unspecified) only when documentation doesn't support a more specific option: in cornea (T15.0), in conjunctival sac (T15.1) and in other and multiple parts of external eye (T15.8).

Codes in this range require a 7th character: A for initial encounter, D for subsequent encounter and S for sequela. Use placeholder "X" characters to fill any empty positions before the 7th character.

It has been part of ICD-10-CM since the code set took effect on October 1, 2015 and hasn't changed since.

7th character

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T15

  • Ainitial encounter
  • Dsubsequent encounter
  • Ssequela

Notes that apply from higher levels

Instructions written at a parent level also apply to T15.9.

› From T15 Foreign body on external eye
Excludes2
  • foreign body in penetrating wound of orbit and eye ball (S05.4-, S05.5-)
  • open wound of eyelid and periocular area (S01.1-)
  • retained foreign body in eyelid (H02.8-)
  • retained (old) foreign body in penetrating wound of orbit and eye ball (H05.5-, H44.6-, H44.7-)
  • superficial foreign body of eyelid and periocular area (S00.25-)

Broader instructions also apply from T15-T19 Effects of foreign body entering through natural orifice and Chapter 19: Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes.

Alphabetic index entries

1 entries

Terms in the official ICD-10-CM index that lead to T15.9.

Code history

  1. 2016
  2. 2017
  3. 2018
  4. 2019
  5. 2020
  6. 2021
  7. 2022
  8. 2023
  9. 2024
  10. 2025
  11. 2026
  12. 2027
  • FY2016 (effective 10/1/2015): Added (first year of ICD-10-CM)
  • No changes since FY2016.

Common questions about T15.9

Is T15.9 billable?

No. T15.9 is a header code. Report one of its more specific subcodes instead.