Billing code 92081: Visual field testMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $33.73 for 92081 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $30.11–$44.82.

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

What 92081 covers

This service evaluates a limited portion of a patient’s visual field, commonly through confrontation testing or another limited field method. Ophthalmologists and optometrists may perform it in an office or outpatient setting when evaluating a focused concern, such as a suspected peripheral field deficit. The service includes the clinician’s interpretation and report, not just the act of administering the test.

Select this level based on the scope of the field assessment performed, rather than the diagnosis alone. Document the clinical reason, test method, laterality, findings, and interpretation. CMS prices the code as bilateral, so modifier 50 does not increase payment. The service may be billed globally, or its professional interpretation and technical equipment-and-staff portions may be billed separately with modifiers 26 and TC. When multiple ophthalmic diagnostic procedures are performed, the multiple-procedure reduction applies to the technical component.

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 92081 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

92081 rates by state

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

How the 92081 rate is calculated

Each of 92081’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 92081

The CMS indicators that decide how 92081 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

92081 compared with similar codes

How to choose

92082Visual field test

Choose 92082 when the examination is intermediate in scope; 92081 describes a limited assessment such as confrontation testing.

92083Visual field exam

Choose 92083 for an extended visual field examination. The level follows the scope of testing performed, not simply the condition being evaluated.

92014Comprehensive eye exam

92014 reports a comprehensive established-patient eye examination, while 92081 reports a limited visual field test. They may be reported together when each service is separately supported.

Codes related to 92081

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