How come so many in this forum seems to have overlooked one tiny detail...
Thancred himself tells you he never lost his eye. He almost lost his eye. Almost =/= lost. And iirc he states it's because ladies like his rough look now that he's keeping it.

Proof? Proof.
Last sentence roughly says 'It was an arduous journey and my carelessness almost cost me my left eye.'

Well. People were faster than me.