Actual reason why pirates wore eye patches

Posted 2009/07/06 20:28:50
Read all 29 opinions

Eye patches may have had a more practical purpose for sailors and pilots.

Sailors (stereotyped by the eye-patch-wearing pirate) who often went above and below deck, used eye patches to have one eye adjusted for the top deck and the other eye already adjusted for the darkness when suddenly going below deck. The strong sunlight while above deck on an oceangoing vessel could require minutes of adjustment to the dim lighting below deck. With virtually no light sources below deck, sailors would have to rely heavily upon their eyes to adjust. In the critical moments of modifying the rigging, navigating, and especially during battle, those minutes were too precious. A simple switch of the patch from one eye to the other saved time and was more convenient than being temporarily blinded when going between decks.

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eyepatch#Sailors

+22

Infinite 2009/07/06 22:54:00 (edited)

+5
Interesting, thanks. Here’s another…Actual reason why pirates wore an earring: They were very superstitious and felt if their boat ever sunk, or they fell overboard and lost all possessions, if they drowned they would still have the (yank the earring out) toll to pay the Ferryman to ferrying them to the other side.
>> See Replies

shalimar 2009/07/16 01:00:49

never thought of it but it does actually make some sense. I always thought they got blinded in a sword fight...or the parrot poked their eye out ,,hi hi hi

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Hobbit 2009/07/08 20:14:45

Interesting. I thought it was because they lot an eye, so they covered up the hole.

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turkey pepperoni 2009/07/08 18:18:49

that's pretty cool!

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Aysohmay 2009/07/08 00:42:24

+1
Wow, thanks for the fun fact of the day ._.

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(David)-(The)-(Strange) 2009/07/07 20:21:14

so their pules would end up different sizes? lol

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Jmac 2009/07/07 19:50:22

+1
just like what mythbusters said!!!

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Eric ~ The Logician 2009/07/07 18:40:24

I've heard this before. I feel like it would be bad for your eyesight in the long run.

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Einstein's Firecracker 2009/07/07 18:39:03

+1
I thought this was debunked on Mythbusters. In the middle of battle, are you really going to have a chance to switch that patch over to the other eye? Can you explain why they had so many peg legs and hook hands, then?

That's not a peg leg, matey. That's me sea leg!

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Jcap ~ Peace ~ 2009/07/07 17:07:28

Thanks for the info. Always wondered why so many pirates had lost an eye.

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susan BN-0 2009/07/07 16:42:47

That's interesting,and It makes sense.

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oldcavpilot 2009/07/07 13:48:50

I wouldn't want to go into battle with no depth perception; I'll pass on the eye patch.

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Keen Tojones 2009/07/07 06:11:50

fascinating.

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evceleb 2009/07/07 05:09:00

good to know i guess....

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Estick 2009/07/07 04:00:27

Wow... that actually makes a lot of sense

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brutusin~ Proud Apetheist 2009/07/07 02:29:53

Arr me..... Yeah can't finish. Awesome though.

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BH1701 "In Kirk We Trust" 2009/07/06 23:52:44

+1
Now, that is just cool.

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Infinite 2009/07/06 22:54:00 (edited)

+5
Interesting, thanks. Here’s another…Actual reason why pirates wore an earring: They were very superstitious and felt if their boat ever sunk, or they fell overboard and lost all possessions, if they drowned they would still have the (yank the earring out) toll to pay the Ferryman to ferrying them to the other side.

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luigi1-... to Infinite 2009/07/07 23:40:26

sailors often pierced their ear lobes to shapren their eye sight. accupuncture studies have proven that to be true.

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Infinite to luigi1-... 2009/07/08 01:54:59

I like how you brought this full circle back to eyesight, very cool.

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Trevor ... to Infinite 2013/03/29 19:32:04

+2
I'm sorry to burts your bubble, but that is not true. The piercing of the ear with a gold earring, a shackle most commonly, is a practice followed by many sailors. It does have to do with superstion, you are correct on that fact, as to do with drowning. It was to pay for a burial. Common belief was that if one was not buried you would haunt the earth for eternity. But burials cost money. When your body was washed up on shore, the gold from your earring was used to pay for the burial.

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