Why Did Pirates Wear Eye Patches?

By Linda Conlin, Pro to Pro Managing Editor

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During festival season, especially in coastal regions, pirate-themed events are quite popular. Often, you will see performers donning eye patches as a key part of their attire. But how did eye patches become a staple of pirate lore? Safety eyewear was not available in those times, making it likely that pirates, who frequently dealt with swords, guns, and various sharp weapons, faced a significant risk of eye injuries. However, there is another intriguing theory surrounding the use of eye patches: light adaptation.

If you consider life aboard a ship during bright sunny days, the absence of sunglasses meant that sailors bore the brunt of intense sunlight and reflected glare from the water. Their vision was predominantly photopic, utilizing cone cells for clarity. Yet when below deck, sailors often had to transition to a dim environment, relying on scotopic vision, which uses rod cells. Unfortunately, rod cells have slower response times and much lower visual acuity. The adaptation process to see well in low light takes approximately twenty minutes, a duration that is hardly feasible during high-pressure situations like battles at sea. In contrast, the eyes adjust to bright conditions much quicker; cones can adapt within five to seven minutes.

A prevalent theory suggests that wearing an eye patch allowed pirates to maintain one eye's adaptation to darkness. When they descended below deck, they could uncover the patched eye and quickly gain better visibility in the low-light conditions. This concept is echoed in aviation; the FAA's Fitness for Flight pamphlet states, “Dark adaptation is impaired by exposure to cabin pressure altitudes above 5,000 feet. Since any degree of dark adaptation is lost within seconds upon encountering bright light, a pilot should close one eye while using light sources to maintain night vision.” Yet, for pirates, using one eye exclusively above and below deck may lead to visual strain in the uncovered eye, compromises in peripheral vision, and difficulties in depth perception—all critical for maintaining balance and performing effectively on a ship.

Despite the logical appeal of the light adaptation theory, historical and archaeological evidence does not substantiate the idea that eye patches were explicitly used for this purpose. Moreover, there are no known records indicating that other sailors of the time shared this practice, despite their similar needs for visual adaptation. Consequently, it remains largely unclear how widespread the use of eye patches really was among pirates. While this explanation is compelling in terms of ocular physiology, the truth behind this enduring myth may ultimately remain elusive.

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