# How Long Does Eye Surgery Take?

Source page: https://www.kudretgozistanbul.com/en/blog/eye-diseases/how-long-does-eye-surgery-take

**Author:** Kudret Eye İstanbul | **Medical Approval:** Op. Dr. Mehmet Ali Özdil | **Date:** 2026-09-05

> **Summary:** How long eye surgery takes depends on the procedure, the extent of the condition and the patient's history. Laser eye surgery takes 5-10 minutes in total, cataract and multifocal lens surgery about 15-20 minutes per eye, while vitrectomy can range from half an hour to more than two hours.

## Quick Facts
| Procedure | Duration | Anaesthesia / recovery |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Laser eye surgery | 5-10 minutes in total; laser works 20-30 seconds per eye | Drops; daily activities within a day or two |
| Multifocal lens surgery | About 15-20 minutes per eye | Drops; home the same day |
| Cataract surgery | About 15-20 minutes per eye (in the operating theatre) | Drops, sometimes sedatives; daily life within 3-4 days, full recovery 3-4 weeks |
| Pterygium surgery | About 20-30 minutes | Local; normal life within a few days |
| Vitrectomy | Half an hour to over two hours | Varies with the case |
| Squint surgery | About 30-60 minutes per eye | Longer with more muscles corrected |
| Glaucoma surgery | Generally 20-30 minutes | Short return to daily activities |
| Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) | Usually 45-60 minutes | Local, general where needed; daily life within 1-2 weeks, full recovery up to a month |
| Macular degeneration injection | A few minutes | Drops; repeated at set intervals if needed |
| Macular hole or membrane vitrectomy | 30 to 60 minutes on average | |

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## Laser Eye Surgery
Generally no general anaesthetic; the eye is numbed with drops. The whole procedure, from entering to leaving the operating room, takes 5-10 minutes, and the laser itself works for 20-30 seconds per eye depending on the prescription. Mild discomfort or stinging usually settles quickly. A general examination follows, the patient is discharged, and patients usually return to daily activities within a day or two.

## Multifocal Lens Surgery
Done with anaesthetic eye drops, with only mild discomfort. About 15-20 minutes per eye; the patient can go home the same day.

## Cataract Surgery
The clouded lens is replaced with an artificial lens. About 15-20 minutes per eye (time in the operating theatre). Drop anaesthesia, in some situations with sedatives so the patient does not become anxious; generally no general anaesthetic. Recovery is somewhat longer than after laser: patients usually return to daily life within 3-4 days, and full recovery takes 3-4 weeks.

## Pterygium Surgery
Under local anaesthesia, the pterygium is removed and a piece of conjunctiva is grafted onto the white of the eye, which considerably lowers the risk of recurrence. Treatment continues with antibiotic and corticosteroid drops; a dressing or lens may be applied. Takes about 20-30 minutes; normal life within a few days; complications are generally rare.

## Vitrectomy
Carried out on people at risk of blindness to treat clouding of the vitreous and retinal disorders; a major operation in the inner and rear parts of the eye. A simple bleed may take half an hour, while a traction retinal detachment procedure can exceed two hours.

## Squint Surgery
For inward or outward deviation; the deviation can reduce vision and often affects psychological health too. About 30-60 minutes per eye, depending on the number of muscles corrected; longer when the deviation angle is large and more muscles are corrected.

## Glaucoma Surgery
Rising eye pressure presses on the optic nerve and can cause permanent sight loss if untreated. Some patients are treated without surgery; in others surgery is essential. Generally 20-30 minutes. Patients return to daily activities within a short time but should avoid overdoing activities, tiring the eyes or rubbing them too much.

## Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)
Aesthetic or medical; generally under local anaesthesia, with general anaesthesia where needed. The operation usually takes 45-60 minutes. Return to daily life within 1-2 weeks; full recovery can take up to a month. Protect from the sun, do not tire the eyes, use drops and ointments as the surgeon recommends.

## Macular Treatment
- **Macular degeneration** (generally appears after the age of fifty and becomes more common with age): treated mainly not with surgery but with an injection of medicine into the eye after numbing drops; takes a few minutes and is repeated at set intervals where needed.
- **Macular hole or epiretinal membrane:** vitrectomy, 30 to 60 minutes on average.