Tomaten auf den Augen haben (toh-MAH-ten owf dayn OW-gen HAH-ben) Literally “to have tomatoes on the eyes” From tomaten (tomatoes) + auf den augen (on the eyes) + haben (to have). The saying has been used since about the 1920s and first referred to tired, red, puffy eyes. Now it means missing something obvious, as if you walked right past the flour and still asked where it was.