Eye Patch

An eye patch (眼帯) is a cloth worn over one eye to protect or conceal it.

Contents [hide]

1 Overview

2 Real People

3 Related Illustrations

4 Related Articles

5 External Links

5.1 English

5.2 Japanese

6 Article in Other Languages

Overview

An eye patch (眼帯, gantai) is device or accessory that covers one eye. It consists of a gauze or compress with an elastic string attached to it, which is then fastened over the ear. It is basically disposable. It is used to cover eye diseases, injuries, or to protect the affected area after surgery.

However, modern medicine has shown that wearing gauze with a string is not enough to prevent infection from the open air. Moreover, protecting only the eyes is far from enough to protect patients from infectious diseases.

Also, the use of gauze in the past to prevent eye diseases from being transmitted to others has been rejected for the same reason. In addition, it has been proven that there is no risk of airborne transmission of eye diseases.

Although it was once commonly used in pediatric ophthalmology because "children are quick to touch the affected area, making it unsanitary", its use has (almost) disappeared since it was discovered that children with developing optic nerves can adversely affect the development of their eyesight if they live their entire lives wearing eye patches.

On the contrary, it has been pointed out that there is a risk of bacterial growth on the eye patch if the eye patch is worn continuously.

Furthermore, in today's society, where roads are no longer paved with asphalt and there are fewer places with pumping latrines and cesspools outside, sanitary conditions have changed dramatically, and it is no longer necessary to wear an eye patch.

In modern times, pressure eye patch, an adhesive tape that is applied over the eyelid like a band-aid, is widely used to immobilize the eyeball to prevent it from moving, for example, to stop bleeding or to damage the cornea or epithelium when the eyeball is moved. Of course, it is not possible to wear such an eye patch all day long, so it is only prescribed for short periods of time, such as while sleeping. Also, since blocking out light for long periods of time can damage the eye when it is opened, transparent eye patches are also made.

Other times, they are prescribed to restore vision, such as for amblyopia (lazy eye) or strabismus training. Or they are also used to treat eye muscle paralysis.

They may also be used for cosmetic reasons, such as a swollen eyelid caused by a so-called hordeolum (stye).

The eye patch has become synonymous with pirates, and is said to have its origin in the historical story of the Arab pirate Rahmah ibn Jabir al-Jalhami, who was active in the Persian Gulf and lost one eye in battle and wore an eye patch.

Other known examples of real people wearing an eye patch includes Ana de Mendoza, Princess of Eboli and David Bowie. In the manga series Ashita no Joe, the character Tange Danpei also lost one eye and wears an eye patch.

Unfortunately, however, prosthetic eyes have become more common, and as mentioned above, the number of people who wear eye patches is decreasing due to the loss of one eye because it is more unsanitary to wear an eye patch.

Before modern medical science advanced, aircraft pilots had the idea of wearing an eye patch to acclimate only one eye to the darkness for night flights. Another purpose was to avoid going blind from enemy flashbangs or laser attacks, but of course, today, devices have been developed to compensate for night vision, and attempts to do so on poor medical grounds have been discontinued.

In any case, the act of wearing an eye patch all day long, unless it is fashionable, exists only in cartoonish and animated expressions.

In creative works, the use of one-eyed characters is high, and there are various types of eye patches, such as one that fastens around the entire head with a string or one that is made of a single wide piece of cloth.

Nowadays, it is often used as a character's personality or as a moe element.

Real People

Ana de Mendoza de la Cerda y de Silva Cifuentes → Spanish aristocrat, may have been blind in one eye.
Rahmah ibn Jabir al-Jalhami → Arab ruler in the Persian Gulf region, is the earliest document of a pirate wearing an eye patch.
David Bowie → English singer-songwriter and actor, wore an eye patch for his alter ego Halloween Jack.
Claus von Stauffenberg → German army officer that tried to assassinate Hitler.
Date Masamune → Japanese feudal ruler, because of his missing eye he been called the One-Eyed Dragon of Oshu.
Kazuyoshi Morita → Japanese television celebrity, when he made his debut, he was wearing an eyepatch instead of the current sunglasses he wears today.
Moshe Dayan → Israeli soldier and politician.
Yagyu Jubei Mitsuyoshi → Japanese samurai, he has many legends when it comes to his eye patch.
Yamamoto Kansuke → Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period.
Xiahou Dun → Chinese military general and politician, was known as One-eyed Xiahou among the rank.