Ishita Roy

Why Can't I Hear When I Take My Glasses Off?

Why cant i hear when I take off my glasses?

I have been wearing glasses for as long as I can remember. To be specific, I started wearing my glasses when I was in first grade, now, in three months, I will turn 26, you do the math. One thing I noticed is that whenever I take my glasses off, I cannot hear anything clearly. It is not like I completely lose the sense of sound, but I won't be lying if I say, I struggle to understand what the other person is saying.

When I asked my friends who wear glasses, they shared the same struggle. Then I was loaded with such videos all over my Instagram, I also came across a few TikTok videos where people felt the same. This is what made me curious to know more about it.

To me this seemed unrelated, but as I read more, I realized vision and <span>hearing</span> are deeply connected. The brain integrates information from both senses and when visual input is disrupted, it can make processing sounds even more challenging.

<h4>The Link Between Sight And Sound</h4>

Studies have shown that out brain expects what we see to align with what we hear. A 2015 study in Scientific Reports explored this by testing participants in a dark room, either looking at a speaker or looking away. When their gaze was averted, their brains worked harder to process sounds, which led to a slower reaction.

Counselling Psychologist Nishi says, "This is a common multisensory experience where the brain relies on visual cues like lip movements and facial expressions to enhance speech comprehension. While the McGurk Effect demonstrates audio-visual interaction, this phenomenon is more about sensory integration and cognitive load. Without clear vision, the brain struggles more to process sound, especially in noisy settings, creating the illusion of reduced hearing."

Researchers found that when a sound is paired with a mismatched mouth movement in a video, people often perceive a completely different sound—one that combines both inputs.

This effect highlights how much we rely on visual cues, like lip movements, to interpret speech. People who wear glasses may depend on these visual cues even more. When they take their glasses off, their ability to see facial expressions and lip movements is reduced, making it harder to understand speech.

"The brain combines visual and auditory cues to process speech, especially in noisy environments. When glasses are removed, visual clarity decreases, making it harder to rely on lip-reading and facial expressions. This increases cognitive load, making it feel like hearing is affected. It highlights how our senses work together to enhance perception," explains Nishi.

<h4>What Could Be The Other Explanation?</h4>

Studies also suggests that it is through the ventriloquism that connects the brain with sights and sounds. In a 2019 study, researchers showed participants visuals while playing sounds from different locations. The brain automatically linked the sound to what they saw, even when the two didn’t match.

This demonstrates that vision plays a key role in how we perceive sounds. If we suddenly lose clear sight—like when we remove our glasses—the brain may struggle to correctly interpret auditory signals.

<h4>Are There Ways To Train Our Brains To Not Rely On Visual Cues To Hear?</h4>

Interestingly, some may argue that removing glasses sometimes helps with hearing. However, as Nishi points out, auditory training exercises such as listening to speech without visual input, practising sound localization, and engaging in speech-in-noise training, can help strengthen auditory processing. However, since sensory integration is deeply ingrained, visual cues will always play some role in speech perception.

<i>Nishi is a Counselling Psychologist &amp; Mental Health Expert and is a Lifetime Member at the American Psychological Association (APA) </i><i>Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist , Expressive Arts Therapist (UNESCO CID). She specializes in Trauma Informed Therapy and, hypnotherapy.</i>

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I have been wearing glasses for as long as I can remember. To be specific, I started wearing my glasses when I was in first grade, now, in three months, I will turn 26, you do the math. One thing I noticed is that whenever I take my glasses off, I cannot hear anything clearly. It is not like I completely lose the sense of sound, but I won't be lying if I say, I struggle to understand what the other person is saying.When I asked my friends who wear glasses, they shared the same struggle. Then I was loaded with such videos all over my Instagram, I also came across a few TikTok videos where people felt the same. This is what made me curious to know more about it.To me this seemed unrelated, but as I read more, I realized vision and hearing are deeply connected. The brain integrates information from both senses and when visual input is disrupted, it can make processing sounds even more challenging.The Link Between Sight And SoundStudies have shown that out brain expects what we see to align with what we hear. A 2015 study in Scientific Reports explored this by testing participants in a dark room, either looking at a speaker or looking away. When their gaze was averted, their brains worked harder to process sounds, which led to a slower reaction.Counselling Psychologist Nishi says, "This is a common multisensory experience where the brain relies on visual cues like lip movements and facial expressions to enhance speech comprehension. While the McGurk Effect demonstrates audio-visual interaction, this phenomenon is more about sensory integration and cognitive load. Without clear vision, the brain struggles more to process sound, especially in noisy settings, creating the illusion of reduced hearing."What Is The McGurk Effect?Researchers found that when a sound is paired with a mismatched mouth movement in a video, people often perceive a completely different sound—one that combines both inputs.This effect highlights how much we rely on visual cues, like lip movements, to interpret speech. People who wear glasses may depend on these visual cues even more. When they take their glasses off, their ability to see facial expressions and lip movements is reduced, making it harder to understand speech."The brain combines visual and auditory cues to process speech, especially in noisy environments. When glasses are removed, visual clarity decreases, making it harder to rely on lip-reading and facial expressions. This increases cognitive load, making it feel like hearing is affected. It highlights how our senses work together to enhance perception," explains Nishi.What Could Be The Other Explanation?Studies also suggests that it is through the ventriloquism that connects the brain with sights and sounds. In a 2019 study, researchers showed participants visuals while playing sounds from different locations. The brain automatically linked the sound to what they saw, even when the two didn’t match.This demonstrates that vision plays a key role in how we perceive sounds. If we suddenly lose clear sight—like when we remove our glasses—the brain may struggle to correctly interpret auditory signals.Are There Ways To Train Our Brains To Not Rely On Visual Cues To Hear?Interestingly, some may argue that removing glasses sometimes helps with hearing. However, as Nishi points out, auditory training exercises such as listening to speech without visual input, practising sound localization, and engaging in speech-in-noise training, can help strengthen auditory processing. However, since sensory integration is deeply ingrained, visual cues will always play some role in speech perception. Nishi is a Counselling Psychologist & Mental Health Expert and is a Lifetime Member at the American Psychological Association (APA) Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist , Expressive Arts Therapist (UNESCO CID). She specializes in Trauma Informed Therapy and, hypnotherapy.