Exploring how eye movements influence memory recall

May 25, 2025

The Connection between Eye Movements and Memory Recall

Verified By
KIMS-SUNSHINE
Specialist,
25 May, 2025

The Connection between Eye Movements and Memory Recall

The human brain holds the secret to our memories. Primarily, the hippocampus, located in the temporal lobe of the brain, is responsible for both short-term and long-term memories. Other brain areas such as the amygdala, cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, and cerebellum also play a significant part in memory processing. Recent findings have shown that there might be a way how eye movements affect memory recall.

Eye movement and brain memory connection

The eyes are the mirrors to the outside world, capturing whatever we see and helping us register it in our brain. Eye movements play a critical role in how we form and retrieve memories. When we recall a previously seen image in our mind, our eyes naturally trace a sequence of movements that closely mirrors the original viewing pattern, even without any supporting visual inputs. This phenomenon suggests that eye movements may function as a link between visual cues and memory retrieval, helping in the retrieval of stored visual memories.

Why does eye direction change during thinking?

When we remember something we’ve already seen, our eyes often move in a similar way as to how they did when we first saw it. Studies prove that the more closely our eye movements during recall match the original viewing pattern, the clearer and more accurate our memory tends to be. This suggests that repeating these eye movements helps our brain reconstruct the memory more clearly and precisely. So, does looking up help you remember? Quite often we see people looking upwards while trying to recall things from memory. While there is no scientifically backed proof for this, looking up could help by reducing distractions and help the mind to focus on the task at hand.

EMDR therapy and memory recall science

Certain eye movement techniques, such as moving the eyes horizontally back and forth (known as bilateral saccades), have been shown to enhance memory recall. This is how the brain uses eye movement to access memory. Bilateral saccades method is utilized in therapies such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to help those individuals who have experienced traumatic episodes and have to deal with disturbing memories. EMDR therapy helps the person by reducing the vividness and emotional association linked with the trauma.

Can eye tracking improve memory function?

Eye tracking has been known to enhance memory function, especially in individuals with cognitive challenges. Children with learning disabilities who underwent eye-tracking training, showed marked improvements in memory and learning abilities. Through such training, they showed notable enhancements in delayed recall and learning speed compared to those in conventional remedial classes. Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have particularly benefited from such training.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do specific eye directions trigger certain memories?

Yes, specific eye movements can influence and play a functional role in memory retrieval. For example,if a person attempts to make a visual recall, his or her eyes often move to the same locations as they focussed on during the initial capturing of that information. This phenomenon suggests that there is a relation between eye movements and memory recall.

How does EMDR therapy use eye movements for recall??

A person undergoing EMDR therapy is asked to recall traumatic events using guided horizontal eye movements called bilateral saccades. This dual attention process facilitates the reprocessing of traumatic memories by making these memories less vivid and also reducing the emotional association linked with the trauma.

Is there scientific evidence connecting gaze and memory?

Yes, the link between gaze and memory recall is scientifically backed. Studies show that individuals often unconsciously replicate the eye movements they made during the initial capturing of information when attempting to recall that information later. This phenomenon is called “gaze reinstatement.”

Are eye movements subconscious during memory recall?

Yes, eye movements during memory recall are more or less subconscious. This phenomenon is known as gaze reinstatement. It involves the spontaneous replication of eye movement patterns made during the initial capturing of information when attempting to retrieve that information later. Such eye movements occur without conscious effort and are believed to aid in memory recall.

What does looking left or right indicate in psychology?

In psychology, one theory which has its roots in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), suggests that looking left is linked with recalling information while looking towards the right is associated with reconstructing or imagining information.

Can training eye movements improve memory retention?

Yes, training eye movements can facilitate memory retention. Research indicates that specific eye movement exercises, such as eye-tracking training and bilateral saccadic movements, which is widely used in EMDR therapy can improve various aspects of memory. Such eye movement training is particularly helpful in individuals with learning difficulties or neurodevelopmental disorders and those who have experienced traumatic events.