In the Republic of Gilead, there are secret police officers who monitor the activities of everyone living in the country. These members of the secret police force are called Eyes. They are also referred to as the "Eyes of God."

Handmaids, Commanders, wives, and Marthas are all subject to the Eyes' surveillance. The Eyes do not just monitor the activities of the lesser citizens, they are also tasked with monitoring government leaders in Gilead and making sure that they remain loyal and are operating within the rules.

In chapter 4, the protagonist explores some thoughts around the character Nick. Nick is the chauffeur to Commander Fred Waterford. In this chapter, she wonders if Nick is an Eye.

We learn later in the story that Nick is in fact an Eye. The reader is led to believe that he is a corrupt Eye, because of his affair with the protagonist and his actions at the end of the story.

It appears as though a group of Eyes has come to imprison, prosecute, or somehow punish the protagonist. Nick tells her that the group of Eyes in the van are actually members of the rebellious group Mayday.

Eyes are an important plot point and piece of symbolism in the novel. The overt symbolism of an ocular image overseeing the actions of everyone in Gilead appropriately sets the daunting setting of this novel.