Why do pirates wear patches

What do you think about this pirate eye patch theory? Why Pirates Use Eye Patches. Life at sea The reality of life at sea meant pirates had to know how to navigate every inch of their vessels during the daytime and nighttime to survive. Nifty night vision Your eyes, while capable of doing amazing things, have a built-in delay when trying to switch from light to darkness. Chemical reaction When you are in a brightly lit room and shut off the light, the first thing that happens is your pupil gets bigger dilates to let in more light.

So what does this have to do with pirates, you ask? A tactile advantage Well, the theory is that pirates discovered the best of both worlds. Avast me hearties! Where to buy Clear Eyes. Make a Donation. Donor Memberships. Become a Member. Gift Memberships. Code of Conduct. Gift Certificates. Group Visits. Birthday Parties. Private Events. Special Events. Full Calendar. Public Events. Family Programs. Homeschool Programs. Girl Scout Events. Member Events. Hearing Aids. Hearing Aid Batteries.

Hearing Aid Styles. Hearing Loss. Hearing Test. Types of Hearing Aids. Allergy Symptoms. Allergy Testing. Allergy Treatment. Acid Reflux. Balloon Sinuplasty. Chronic Sinusitis. Deviated Septum and Septoplasty. Ear Infections and Ear Tube Surgery. Eustachian Tube Balloon Dilation. Head and Neck Cancer. Pediatric Airway. Pediatric ENT. Sinuva treatment for sinusitis. Now imagine when you have gone from an area of light to an area of darkness. The process of adjusting to the new environment was not instantaneous; in fact it took some time.

Specifically, that adjustment time is on average measured to be 25 minutes. This process, of adjusting from a light environment to a dark environment, is known as dark adaptation and involves a variety of chemical processes to occur in the retina, located in the back of the eye.

The retina must regenerate a compound known as rhodopsin and also increase sensitivity of rods. In contrast to this, light adaptation, the process of adjusting from a dark environment to a light environment, means the retina must decrease the amount of rhodopsin and increase the sensitivity of functioning cones. By covering one eye with a patch, that eye is perpetually left in a dark-adapted state. This means that when the pirate is an area of excessive light, such as above deck, the eye is completely guarded from light that leads to the chemical process of dark adaptation.

When he or she steps into a dark area under the deck, the patch can be removed and this eye can be used to look around.