Why are pirates depicted as having eye patches?

Answer 1

"Eye patches - pirates and other mariners were sometimes blinded in one eye through the use of a sextant. Eyepatch wearing also would have been convenient for seeing in poorly lit conditions, and pirates of old may have done this to help see below deck. "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirate

Answer 2

Medical care on ships out to sea wasn't the best in the fabled days of pirates. The care on a pirate ship was even worse. So if anyone got an infection they most likely lost the infected body part. Lose a limb, get a peg or a hook. Lose an eye, get a patch.

Answer 3

Here's an interesting theory, which sounds completely plausible to me:

The British Navy used spyglasses (small telescopes) for night navigation, identifying constellations for positioning.

When the pirates would plunder their ships, they stole the spyglasses, and they mimicked what they saw the British Naval officers did in order to navigate, and actually did a pretty good job despite the lack of any formal training in maritime navigation.

They missed a key important safety tip: Do not ever look into the sun with a spyglass! So after a long time of looking into the sunlit sky for navigation, they burned out their corneas.

Answer 4

pirates have a reputation to uphold (the bad guys) and they need the eye patch to make them look the part

Answer 5

They get into so many swordfights and the like, something is bound to get cut off.

Answer 6

As they are often fierce fighters and prone to getting injuries.

Answer 7

Bad aims when giving head.

Answer 8

We lose them in swordfights quite often.

Answer 9

to make them look funny and cool.

Answer 10

to show that they are nasty.