The king Felipe VI has received medical discharge this Sunday, October 25, after being operated on for cataracts in the left eye at the Fernández-Vega Ophthalmological Institute in Oviedo. The intervention took place during the night of Saturday, once the events related to the delivery of the Princess of Asturias Awards 2026 were concluded, and lasted approximately 30 minutes, according to the Royal House. Zarzuela has confirmed that the operation, scheduled in advance, was carried out without complications and that the monarch will resume his institutional agenda this Monday normally.
The head of state left the medical center this Sunday around 9:55 AM, after spending the night admitted to remain under observation. Felipe VI walked out, smiling and wearing sunglasses, while several journalists waited at the doors of the Oviedo clinic to learn about his health status. Asked about the outcome of the operation, the king calmly responded: "Very well, good, thank you!", while pointing to his glasses. Shortly after, he got into the vehicle that was waiting for him to begin the return to Madrid.
Felipe VI, operated on for cataracts in Oviedo: a half-hour intervention
The operation took place during the night of Saturday, October 24, around 9:30 PM, at the Fernández-Vega Ophthalmological Institute, one of the specialized ophthalmology centers in the Asturian capital. The Royal House has specified that it was a routine intervention and that no incidents were recorded during the procedure.
The ophthalmologist Luis Fernández-Vega, in charge of operating on the monarch, explained that the operation was "perfect" and that recovery will be quick. According to his indications, Felipe VI should use eye drops for the next few days and avoid physical exertion, which are common precautions after this type of surgery.
The intervention has exclusively affected the left eye. For the moment, there are no plans to operate on the right eye, which, according to information provided by sources from Zarzuela, does not present problems that require similar action.
The cataract surgery consists of removing the lens when it loses transparency and replacing it with an artificial intraocular lens. It is a common procedure that is usually performed with local anesthesia and allows for a relatively quick recovery, although the time needed to fully regain vision varies depending on each patient.
The king will resume his official agenda this Monday in Madrid
Despite the intervention, Felipe VI maintains his scheduled institutional commitments for the coming days. The Royal House has confirmed that the monarch will return to his public activity this Monday, October 26, when he will preside over the 6:00 PM solemn opening of the academic year of the Royal Academies integrated into the Institute of Spain.
The event will be held at the Royal Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation, in Madrid, and will feature the participation of representatives from the main academic institutions in the country. During the ceremony, among others, the president of the institution, Luis Cazorla, and the academic Manuel Aragón, who is responsible for delivering the inaugural lecture, will speak.
The expectation that the king can attend this appointment without modifying his agenda reflects the favorable evolution of the postoperative period, although he will have to continue following the recommendations of specialists in the coming days.
The operation comes after the Princess of Asturias Awards
Felipe VI has taken advantage of his stay in Asturias to undergo the intervention, after three days of official activities alongside Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor, and Infanta Sofía on the occasion of the Princess of Asturias Awards.
The royal family arrived in Oviedo on Thursday to participate in the traditional concert prior to the award ceremony. On Friday, he attended the ceremony held at the Campoamor Theater, one of the main events on the institutional calendar of the Crown.
The monarch's last public appearance before entering the clinic took place this Saturday in Llanes, where he attended accompanied by Queen Letizia and his two daughters to present the Award for Exemplary People of Asturias 2026, awarded to the Brotherhood of Fishermen of Santa Ana.
After the visit concluded, Letizia, Leonor, and Sofía returned to Madrid, while Felipe VI remained in Oviedo to undergo the scheduled ophthalmological operation.
The known medical history of Felipe VI
The cataract intervention represents one of the few episodes related to the king's health that have publicly transcended in recent years. In October 2023, Felipe VI appeared at an official event with a splint on his right hand after suffering a scaphoid fracture as a result of a fall while playing paddle.
Previously, in February 2022, the monarch tested positive for coronavirus, a circumstance that forced him to remain isolated for several days and to temporarily modify his institutional activity.
Unlike those episodes, the operation carried out this weekend was scheduled and has not required a prolonged suspension of his public commitments. The Royal House has conveyed that the king's recovery is favorable, so it is expected that on Monday he will return to preside over institutional events after spending less than 24 hours in the medical center.