"Eric asked for a break to deal with personal issues," a representative for the actor told People. "He suffers from depression and has asked for a few weeks of downtime and the producers kindly granted that request. He looks forward to returning," he added.
Dane shot to fame for his role as the good looking doctor 'McSteamy' on Grey's Anatomy. He starred on the hit medical drama until the show's ninth season in 2012.
The actor has been very open about his struggles in the past.
He announced he was going to rehab in 2011 for an addiction to painkillers from a sports injury and he and his wife Rebecca Gayheart made headlines in 2009 when they became the victims of a leaked, nude video with former Miss Teen USA Kari Ann Peniche.
Dane married Gayheart, who is also an actor, in 2004 and they have since had two girls Billie, seven, and Georgia, five.
