Eye condition sick leave: INSS updates temporary disability timelines in 2026

Key data

Sick leave times for eye diseases are about to be reviewed. The INSS has signed an agreement with the University of Alcalá (UAH) and the Spanish Society of Ophthalmology (SEO) to update the ophthalmology chapter of the fifth edition of the Manual of Optimal Times for Temporary Disability. This manual is the reference tool that INSS medical inspectors and collaborating mutual insurance companies use to assess whether work-related sick leave has a reasonable duration.

The Resolution of July 23, 2026, from the General Technical Secretariat, published in the BOE on August 3, 2026, formalizes this agreement and launches a review process that must be completed within a maximum period of one year.

What does this regulation establish?

The agreement assigns a differentiated role to each signatory entity:

The result will be an updated version of the ophthalmology chapter of the Manual of Optimal Times for Temporary Disability, which is the practical guide that advises INSS medical inspectors on what is the reasonable duration of work-related sick leave according to the diagnosis. It is not an immovable legal limit, but a reference scale that directly conditions decisions on control and extension of temporary disability benefits.

The fact that the SEO—the reference scientific society in Spain for the specialty—validates the new contents gives the updated manual greater technical strength and, presumably, greater weight in medical review processes.

Economic and operational impact

For companies, the impact of this update will materialize when the new manual comes into use, once the review is completed within the one-year period. The practical effects will depend on whether the new reference times are more restrictive or broader than the current ones for each specific eye condition.

• If the new times are reduced for any condition, the INSS and mutual insurance companies will be able to exercise earlier control over those sick leaves, which can translate into greater pressure for medical discharge and, consequently, a reduction in the cost of the benefit.
• If the new times are extended for any condition, longer-duration sick leaves will have more technical support and it will be more difficult to challenge or shorten them.
• For collaborating mutual insurance companies, the new manual will update the technical framework with which they manage and control temporary disability benefits in the ophthalmology area.
• For workers with active or future sick leave for eye conditions, the criteria for evaluating their benefit may change once the revised manual is published.

In operational terms, companies do not need to do anything immediately: the agreement has just been signed and the review will take up to a year. However, this is the time to internally review how many employees have had or currently have sick leave for eye conditions and anticipate possible changes in the management of those temporary disabilities.

Who does it affect?

• Workers in temporary disability due to eye conditions: their sick leaves will be evaluated with the new criteria once the updated manual is published.
• INSS medical inspectors: will use the revised manual as a reference in their temporary disability evaluations.
• Collaborating mutual insurance companies of Social Security: will update their protocols for managing and controlling temporary disability in ophthalmology.
• HR departments and absenteeism managers: must know the new reference times to correctly manage long-duration sick leaves in this specialty.
• Labor advisors and management firms: will need to update their knowledge of the manual to correctly advise companies and workers.

Practical example

Imagine a service sector company with 80 employees. One of its workers undergoes cataract surgery and goes on temporary disability leave. Currently, the INSS medical inspector consults the fifth edition of the Manual of Optimal Times to assess whether the duration of that sick leave is reasonable according to the diagnosis and type of intervention.

With the agreement signed on August 3, 2026, the SEO will scientifically review the reference times for this type of ophthalmological intervention. If the new manual—which must be ready before August 3, 2027—modifies the optimal time for postoperative cataract recovery, that change will directly affect how the INSS and the mutual insurance company manage future sick leaves for the same reason in that company.

The HR manager does not need to act today, but should be alert to the publication of the revised manual to adjust internal protocols for monitoring absenteeism due to ophthalmological causes.

What should companies do now?

1. Note the deadline: the revised manual must be ready before August 3, 2027. Mark that date to check if any updates have been published.
2. Review the history of ophthalmological sick leaves: identify how many employees have had or currently have temporary disability for eye conditions to anticipate the potential impact of the new criteria.
3. Coordinate with your collaborating mutual insurance company: ask your mutual insurance company if it plans to update its temporary disability management protocols in ophthalmology as soon as the new manual is available.
4. Inform your labor advisor: make sure your management firm or labor advisor is aware of this change so they can guide you correctly when the manual is published.
5. Do not make hasty decisions: the agreement has just been signed. Current criteria remain in force until the new manual is published and comes into use. There is no immediate obligation to change any procedure.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Notice: This article is purely informational in nature and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-16917