Why did Ralphie go blind in 'A Christmas Story'?

Answer 1

Strangely enough, he does think he "shot his eye out" when a ricochet from a metal sign hits him in the face. But he didn't go blind, only broke his glasses.

When Ralphie says a bad word his mother makes him sit in the bathroom with a bar of soap in his mouth. In a fantasy sequence, he goes blind from 'soap poisoning' which causes his parents to realize how cruel they were.

Answer 2

It's true that he did not go blind but he did daydream it. He said it was the soap that his mom used to wash out his mouth, too much of it caused him to go blind.