You Probably Hold To The Myth That Eye Patches Were Worn by Pirates

There are several perplexing myths surrounding pirates, like the idea that they all spoke like English farmers and buried their loot for mysterious reasons.

Along with hook hands and parrot companions, one of the most ingrained in popular memory is the fact that they wore eye patches in numbers that were unusual outside of eye injury departments in big cities.

So why are they portrayed in this way? Did pirates have a disproportionately high risk of eye injuries? Has recruitment occurred outside of those eye injury units? Was this a fashion rule that was very strictly enforced?

Unsupported by any historical data, one idea holds that the patch was worn to improve the pirates' field of vision during conflicts rather than treat eye problems. The theory holds that it will take some time for your eyes to become used to the reduced light while entering another ship and traveling below deck.

Pirates who wore eye patches had one eye adapted to the brightness above and the other eye accustomed to the darkness. They could see by simply taking off the patch when they descended below decks.

On the other hand, it's possible that the eye patch was worn below deck by the pirates—perhaps at night while they were up by candlelight—and that it let them see better at night if they had to go back up on deck to engage in combat or other typical pirate activities.

The concept was examined by Mythbusters in a 2007 pirate program. Kari was taken to an ophthalmologist, who studied both of her eyes—one of which had been exposed to bright light and the other had been covered with a patch—to determine how well they could see at night. She was able to see far more quickly in the covered eye than in the one that had been exposed to the intense light because, as you might anticipate, it quickly adjusted to the darkness.

Does the fact that the Mythbusters found the myth to be credible suggest it was truly carried out? Most likely not.

According to Dr. Rebecca Simon, a pirate historian, "There is no proof that pirates wore an eyepatch. "No primary sources from the 17th and 18th centuries contain images, woodcuts, or any mention of them."

The eye patch, like the accents, is more likely the outcome of popular fantasy than historical fact, according to the more plausible explanation.

"Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson is largely responsible for these beliefs. Many other popular culture pirates, including Jack Sparrow, have been modeled after his enemy Long John Silver, Simon said.

These fictitious representations were created by actual pirates, not just any ordinary seafarer.

Simon continued, "The pirate Edward Teach, also known as Blackbeard, is a real-life pirate who has inspired writers like Stevenson because of how outrageous his appearance was at the time (long hair and beard with firecrackers smoking in it during attacks) and his practically theatrical attacks (although he never killed anyone until his final battle).

These early portrayals served as the foundation for modern images of colorfully attired pirates, but the truth was much more somber.

According to Simon, "In general, pirates dressed like any other sailor of the era, albeit their clothing may be in better condition due to stolen clothing from other ships. "Pirate captains and those in positions of authority frequently wore fancy clothing to display their victory in battle."

It's an intriguing argument that eyepatch-wearing pirates protected their dark-adapted eyesight for battles below deck, and it makes sense in terms of how the eye functions. However, this explanation is not found in historical documents, and there is no means to corroborate it archaeologically.

As a result, with the available information, it is impossible to test or verify such a theory. Whatever idea is true, the eyepatch is a crucial component of contemporary pirate lore, and having a rational explanation for why pirates wore them can only enhance it.