ICD-10-PCS Billable Code

08H17YZ

Insertion Eye, Left to No Qualifier with Other Device, Via Natural or Artificial Opening Approach

Procedural Specifications

Clinical Axis Detail Definition
Section0 Medical and Surgical
Body System8 Eye
OperationH Insertion
Body Part1 Eye, Left
Approach7 Via Natural or Artificial Opening
DeviceY Other Device
QualifierZ No Qualifier

Operation Definition

Putting in a nonbiological appliance that monitors, assists, performs, or prevents a physiological function but does not physically take the place of a body part

Procedure Overview

Insertion procedures for the eye involve placing a nonbiological device that supports or monitors an eye function without replacing any of the eye's own anatomical structures. A common example is placement of an intraocular pressure monitoring device or a drug-eluting ocular insert designed to release medication gradually over time.

These devices are used when ongoing therapeutic or monitoring support is needed beyond what a single procedure or medication regimen can provide. Because the device assists a function rather than substituting for tissue, insertion is considered separate from procedures that replace or reconstruct a body part.

Anatomy & Axis Detail

Eye, Left

Insertion into the left eye covers placement of a nonbiological device into the globe or adjacent ocular tissue for an ongoing therapeutic or diagnostic purpose, such as a sustained-release medication implant, a glaucoma valve, or a scleral buckle element intended to remain permanently. The left eye's fixed orbital volume means any inserted device must be sized and positioned to avoid disrupting the visual axis or compressing the optic nerve. Surgeons select an entry site, often through the pars plana or sclera, based on where the device needs to sit relative to the vitreous cavity or anterior chamber. This code applies only when the device is left functioning within the eye at the end of the operative episode, not when it is used temporarily and withdrawn.

Approach: Via Natural or Artificial Opening

Via Natural or Artificial Opening means the instrument reaches the target site by passing through an existing body orifice, such as the mouth or urethra, or a surgically created opening like a stoma, without additional incision or scope guidance. It is distinguished from the Endoscopic variant by the absence of a visualizing scope, and from External by actually traversing into the body through that opening.

Device: Other Device

Other Device is a catchall value used when a device remains in place but does not fit any of the specifically defined categories, such as tissue substitutes, drainage tubes, radioactive elements, or monitoring sensors. It allows coding of implanted or inserted devices that fall outside those named classifications.

Coding & Documentation

A coder assigns Insertion when the documentation describes placing a device, such as a drug delivery implant or pressure sensor, that assists or monitors eye function without serving as a structural replacement for tissue. The note should specify the device type and its intended purpose, since this affects device value selection in the code. A frequent mistake is confusing Insertion with Replacement, which applies when a device takes the physical place of a body part, such as an intraocular lens replacing the native lens; that scenario is coded as Replacement, not Insertion. Coders should also watch for cases where an insertion is performed as part of a combination procedure, such as insertion of a drainage device during glaucoma surgery, which may require an additional code for the accompanying procedure.

Commonly Confused With

ReplacementInsertion is most often confused with Replacement, with the deciding factor being whether the device takes over the physical space and role of a removed body part (Replacement) or simply supports an existing structure's function (Insertion).
SupplementIt can also be confused with Supplement procedures, where material reinforces a body part's function without fully assuming that function itself, a distinction that matters for devices like scleral reinforcement implants versus true monitoring devices.