Have you ever wondered about why you can’t open your eyes when you sneeze? I have wondered for a long time and now I have an answer. You can’t open your eyes when you sneeze because all of your body functions shut down for that one second you sneeze. Closing your eyes is an involuntary reflex. The nose and the eyes are connect by cranial nerves, this sends a message to your brain to close your eyes. Therefore, opening your eyes when you sneeze is impossible.