When a loud sound strikes the ear, the tensor tympani reflexively contracts and separates the bones of the middle ear. The result is that the energy which might otherwise damage the cochlea is not completely transmitted. If the tensor tympani is unable to function properly, the ear becomes significantly more susceptible to noise induced damage. Unfortunately, the presence of loud music and alcohol is often the case at parties and concerts. The damage that is done to hearing is already beginning to appear in individuals as young as 30 years of age with hearing profiles that match someone who is 60 or 65.
Alcohol impairs the small muscles that move the eyeballs to direct gaze.
As individuals become intoxicated, they will tend to move their entire heads rather than just their eyes to look at something. This has serious implications for driving a car. This means that an individual is less able to see moving vehicles at intersections or approaching them from the rear in a different lane. Alcohol also impairs the visual system itself, reducing peripheral vision at relatively low dosages. Again, the implications for the operation of a motor vehicle should be obvious.