One of Sophocles' main images is one of eyes, sight, and lack of sight (or blindness).
"How terrible-to see the truth when the truth is only pain to him who sees!" Sophocles' use of the image here is pretty obvious-sight is the revealer of truth. However, it sets up a key image as well as a key theme: the pain of revealed truth.
"You, you'll see no more the pain I suffered, all the pain I caused!" Here, the Messenger describes what Oedipus said as he gouged his eyes out. This deliberate destruction of his eyesight symbolizes Oedipus' agony over learning the truth about his life, and his decision to live without his sight-because he feels that being able to see the truth has caused all his pain and problems, so he would rather live blind. This again builds on the theme that truth is sometimes more a cause of pain that a cause of relief.
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