ICD-10 Code H04.69 – Other changes of lacrimal passages (2026): Diagnosis, Symptoms & Billing Guide
2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H04.69 – Other changes of lacrimal passages
What it is
H04.69 identifies other non-specific changes affecting the lacrimal passages, the drainage system that carries tears from the eye into the nose. Use it when the chart documents an abnormality of these passages that does not fit a more specific code.
Clinical signs
Clinical features vary; refer to documentation. Findings may include tearing, blockage, narrowing, or other structural change involving the lacrimal drainage pathway, but the record should support the specific abnormality.
When to use this code
Use H04.69 when the provider documents an unspecified or other change of the lacrimal passages and no more precise diagnosis is stated. It may apply after evaluation of chronic tearing or suspected drainage abnormality when the final assessment remains nonspecific. Check documentation for laterality if relevant elsewhere in the record.
Do not use for
Do not use this code for acute infection, inflammation, or trauma of the lacrimal system if a more specific diagnosis is documented. Also avoid it when the record identifies a different lacrimal disorder with its own ICD-10-CM code.
Coding tip
Code the most specific lacrimal passage condition documented; if the note only says “other changes,” H04.69 is appropriate.