Why don’t we have the ability to “close” our ears, just like our eyes?

Question

Why don’t we have the ability to “close” our ears, just like our eyes?

In: Biology

Answer 1

We actually do have some limited ability to “close our ears” via the tensor tympani muscle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tensor_tympani_muscle

When we hear a loud sound, we have a reflex that moves our ear bones away from the ear drum, dampening sound. However, unlike eyelids, it does not eliminate sound completely