A sewing needle has to have an eye: that's how they work, you put the thread through the eye and the needle pulls the thread through the cloth.

To answer your question, needles have been found that are up to 40,000 years old.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-01/uoca-eeo010807.php

The excavation took place at Kostenki, a group of more than 20 sites along the Don River that have been under study for many decades. Kostenki previously has yielded anatomically modern human bones and artifacts dating between 30,000 and 40,000 years old, including the oldest firmly dated bone and ivory needles with eyelets that indicate the early inhabitants were tailoring animal furs to help them survive the harsh climate.

Yes, and the eyes were present since time immemorial. Here's an example of a bone needle from Iron Age Britain (dating 500-100 BC). How else could they have sewn? :)