A meniscus tear can almost always be removed through arthroscopic surgery. Recovery time is reasonable if you do the required PT.

A small tear may eventually dissolve without surgery. Ask your surgeon. It really depends on how much trouble it is causing you. If the knee is locking up frequently, and this does happen temporarily, then it probably needs surgery.

I wouldn't rush it. Ask the Dr if it might resolve on its own. A good surgeon will always use surgery only as a last resort.

All the best!

At age 72, I suffered a seriously nasty fall onto concrete floor in a warehouse store in June '21. In addition to other damages to left side of body, I incurred meniscus tears (yes in the plural) to the knee along with tendon damages and what the orthopedic specialist called "a bone bruise." The pain was incredibly off the scale (like a 15 out of 10!). Really tough since I have serious reactions (hallucinations, night terrors, vertigo to name a few) to a number of usually prescribed pain medications.
Here it is February '24 and I am still dealing with the aftermath. Have had countless PT, twice which I had to discontinue due to the pain during the sessions and the consequences afterwards. Had an injection into the knee, which had to be repeated 7 months later. Pain under patella, sides of knee, behind the knee (along with visible swelling), down the leg and into thigh. Went for second opinion and that sports medicine specialist ordered another MRI. She emphasized no more PT and ordered a different type of injections (3 in total, spread 2 wks apart), followed by 3 wks of letting the injected material "settle" within the joint, and then PT for 2 months. I went to a different PT center for that round of therapy and it made all the difference. While the pain was not eliminated, I was taught exercises that strengthened the muscles in that leg, particularly around the knee, and that made such welcomed progress for ambulation. But stairs are still a bit of a concern since there is residual pain within the knee. At the post PT checkup last week, my doctor ordered yet another round of the 3 injections. Will probably have PT again after that series, but I am more than happy to avoid surgery altogether.
My body does not respond well to anesthesia so that coupled with my age (now 75), having osteoarthritis in both knees AND fibromyalgia, I am still not interested in surgery. Our daughter had a meniscus tear surgery and she had weeks of followup along with therapy. At the time she was a teen, so definitely more "repairable" than me at this stage in my life!
Waiting for approval from insurance (as happened with the other injections). The shots are a bit painful but I can take it. What I can't take is the thought of all that would be involved with surgery aftercare and great possibility of trading one somewhat tolerable situation for one that could involve more than I want to deal with.
BTW: I do the learned PT knee exercises at home, to maintain the progress that was made post injections last year. I no longer cry when trying to rise from a sitting position (due to the agony of the pain in and around knee) but I do encounter a level of difficulty. Considering all the factors, my age, and pre-existing health issues, I don't have false hopes of making anything resembling "a full recovery"....it is what it is🤔 And I am grateful for my present doctors!