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Most of my rifles are scoped, but my Marlin 1894 still has iron sights and the front sight has a cover that clips/slides on. I've never really thought about this before but wondered if the cover is purely that, to protect the fore sight blade.

Or does it aid the sight picture or have any other use in sighting.

It's to protect the front blade.

Having said that, when quickly shouldering a lever action rifle I use the hood as an aid to getting on target quickly :)

I originally took the sight cover off my Marlin, but recently put it back on. I find that using the peep sight, I can just see the edges of the cover which helps centre the front sight.