A cataract is a clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye that obstructs the passage of light. There are various types of cataracts: nuclear, cortical, mature, and hypermature. Cataracts can be a secondary effect of disease such as DM, HTN, or advanced age. Cataracts can cause blindness if left untreated.
Cataracts are classified in Category 366 by their type:
366.0x Infantile, juvenile, and presenile cataracts
366.1x Senile cataracts (most common type of cataract in diabetics, but NOT considered a diabetic cataract)
366.2x Traumatic cataracts
366.3x Cataract secondary to ocular disorders
366.4x Cataract associated with other diseases
366.5x After-cataract
366.8 Other cataract
366.9 Unspecified cataract
*Remember, when coding a cataract that is documented as a diabetic manifestation, use a diabetic ophthalmic manifestation code 250.5x/249.5x followed by 366.41 diabetic cataract.
Diabetic Cataracts are common in Type 1 diabetics and rarely seen in Type 2 patients.
