Why Did Pirates Wear Eye Patches ?

The main reason pirates wore an eye patch was NOT because of a missing eye.

They wore eye patches so that their eyes would quickly adapt from a lighter environment to a darker one.

So, when they went below decks, they could switch the eye patch to the “outdoor” eye and immediately see in the darkness with the other eye.

This trick was really useful, especially in fights.

Otherwise, by the time their eyes adapted to the darkness, they would have probably gotten killed.

More info here: Why Did Pirates Wear Eye Patches?

Anyway, the article mentions that since there are no historical documents mentioning this, we can’t be 100% sure. But considering the benefits it offers, it’s more likely true.