Can Some People Hear Their Own Eyeballs Move?

Some people actually can hear their own eyeballs move because of a condition called superior canal dehiscene syndrome (SCDS). People who have SCDS have a small hole in the bone that protects the superior semicircular canal in the inner ear, which causes them to have distorted hearing. SCDS is treatable, but sufferers often experience debilitating symptoms, including balance problems, buzzing noises and hearing even the most minute sounds that the body makes.

More facts about SCDS:

• It's thought that about 1-2 percent of people are born with an abnormally thin bone covering the superior semicircular canal. These people are much more prone to develop the hole in the bone that leads to SCDS. Most people who develop SCDS do so because of trauma or erosion of the bone.


• The usual age for people to start showing symptoms of SCDS is about 40 years old. This is true for both men and women.


• Other symptoms of SCDS include autophony — or the ability to hear one's own heartbeat, one's own chewing or an echo in the ears — as well as a feeling of fullness in the ears. Not all people who have SCDS have these symptoms, though; some people learn that they have it while undergoing testing for another procedure.


• Although SCDS is surgically treatable, the treatment is risky and could cause permanent hearing loss.