Eyes Open and Eyes Open Video: Visual Cues Boost Hearing in Noise

A study with 25 volunteers found that keeping eyes open and viewing related visuals enhances hearing in noisy environments, while closing eyes makes it harder to detect sounds. EEG data showed eye closure increases suppression of background noise, whereas visual input—especially videos—helps anchor auditory perception. Participants were tested under four visual conditions (eyes closed, blank screen, still image, video) with several target sounds in 70 dB noise, revealing progressively better detection with more engaging visuals. The work, published in The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, suggests visual engagement can improve auditory sensitivity even in noisy settings.