So this story OW are telling though the images infiltrated my dreams last night.
In the dream, the mudokons that had been made blind also had a powder substance tested on them while in Vykkers labs. This substance would be harmless while they were in the mines digging but if they went in sunlight it would start to burn their skin. It would be another way to keep them from escaping, getting help or someone spotting them.
It seemed like something the Glukkons would do - maybe not as a powder - but as a variety of SoulStorm Brew used only to poison their blind workers.
I'd also like to publically guess that Image #5 will be of a Mudokon with stitches over his eyes, mining. Similar to this:
So that we see the whole process this one Mudokon went through to get where he is. Image #4 may be an image of him travelling or recovering from the surgery.
It's a way of empathising with the characters to make you want to save them.