CPT code 66635: Iris removal, complete iridectomy2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $490.66 for 66635 nationally in a facility.

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

What 66635 covers

This operation removes the iris throughout its extent through a corneal or corneoscleral surgical approach. An ophthalmic surgeon performs it in an operating room, typically in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center, when the clinical plan calls for complete iris excision rather than removal of only a localized portion. The operative report should identify the indication and document that the excision was total; a peripheral or sector iridectomy is a different extent of surgery.

Choose this code based on the extent and purpose of the iris procedure, not simply because iris tissue was removed. Document the operative approach and the tissue removed so the record supports complete excision rather than a glaucoma-related peripheral iridectomy, sector iridectomy, or lesion-focused procedure. The code has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.

Where 66635 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

66635 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

How the 66635 rate is calculated

Each of 66635’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.

Payment rules and modifiers for 66635

66635 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 50

66635 compared with similar codes

How to choose

66625IridectomyPeripheral, for glaucoma

66625 describes a peripheral iridectomy for glaucoma. Use 66635 when the operative plan removes the iris throughout its extent.

66630Iris excisionNon-glaucoma indication

66630 is for sector excision, limited to part of the iris; 66635 represents complete excision.

66600Iris surgeryLesion removal

66600 is the lesion-focused iris excision code. Choose 66635 when the documented procedure is total iris removal rather than excision centered on a lesion.

66680Iris repairIris or ciliary body

66680 describes iris or ciliary body repair. It is used when the tissue is repaired, not when the iris is completely excised.

Codes related to 66635

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

Where these rates come from

FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.

CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates