Introduction:

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterised by recurrence of seizures which are transient neurological events with different manifestations (generalized tonic-clonic seizures, focal seizures with or without consciousness impairment,absences). Furthermore, some seizures could be provoked by some stimuli (sounds/rumours, lights, reading, etc.), the so-called reflex-seizures. Indeed, in these cases you should avoid the stimulus linked to seizures. You should individuate these stimuli, in order to assess adequate tasks for your job.

The key factor for a normal life and, consequently for a normal ongoing of your work is seizure control which stands in regular neurological controls and medication adherence. Thus, to work without any problem, the goal is to reach seizure control throughout the right therapy, adjusted according to your needs.

When applying for a job, you should consider some specific issues and limitations posed by your neurological disorder and some particular jobs. Considering which type of seizure you suffer from and the consequences of this specific type, should be useful to aid you in the right choice for your job.
How do you know which kind of seizure is your specific type? You can simply ask your neurologist. His role is to guide you throughout your disorder.

We can distinguish generalized seizures (absences/tonic-clonic seizures) and focal seizures with/without awareness impairment, with/without prominent motor symptoms.
People suffering from generalized seizures could experience more challenging situations. Tonic-clonic seizures, atonic seizures could put you at risk of falling or getting injured. As a consequence, it could be useful to avoid jobs involving machineries or high altitudes.

Another type of seizure is absence: if you have this kind of seizures, you could experience brief loss of consciousness, you could lose something during speeches or during normal ongoing activities. Also, if you experience awareness impairment during focal seizure, you could be “not reachable” for some moments. In these cases, it is important for your colleagues to keep calm and reassure you till the end of the seizure. During these seconds/minutes you are not able to promptly react to external stimuli, thus you should avoid jobs with dangerous machinery and tools (e.g. saws, knifes) and high amplitudes. Training courses for your colleagues and correct information about your disease could be useful to correctly intervene and help you.

Finally, you could experience focal seizures, without awareness impairment, with different and various symptoms: olfactive, auditive, visual, motor symptoms, etc.
Another key factor to consider is the frequency of seizures. Of course, you can modify this feature , trying to fix it with drugs, but sometimes, although proper drugs, you could still experience seizures. If you have frequent seizures, you could apply for disability pension or you could ask if it is possible to work from distance. Furthermore, if so, you should avoid working with machinery and with height. Having frequent seizures could impede you to drive, thus, you should not choose jobs requiring driving frequently.

Also, we should consider that some seizures could present only in the night or in early morning, thus you can ask your employer to modify your shifts in order to recover well from seizures, avoiding early morning shifts and night shifts.
You should even consider that some syndromes present with a cyclic pattern during the year/during the months: as an example, if you suffer from catamenial epilepsy you could experience seizures in a specific period of your menstrual cycle, and, so, you can consider asking for smartworking during these periods.

Finally, you should consider triggering factors and limitations derived from seizures. Some specific issues rely on triggering factors: stress, light and sleep deprivation could prompt increased risk of seizures.
What does photosensitivity mean? It means that some specific lights (in general flickering lights) could annoy you and trigger seizures. If you suffer from photosensitivity, you should avoid flickering lights/patterns (depending on your symptoms), you could use blue lenses and you could require specific accommodations of the workplace environment otherwise you can try to close one eye to avoid consequences.
Some seizures could be caused by sleep deprivation, in this case you are allowed to ask to avoid night shifts or too early starting time.

Finally, stress could lead to increased risk of seizures, you can assess the level of stress to face with your doctor. The effect of stress on seizure risk has been mediated by sleep quality, so pay attention on quality and quantity of sleep. You can use a simple wristband to monitor your sleep time and to schedule additional naps if you need.
No blanket restrictions should be put on your job choice but having in mind your personal “features” could help you to choose the right job. We can understand the importance of conducting a self-assessment since the only person who really knows all the specific characteristics of his disorder is the person with epilepsy.