Hi All,
I know it's an old thread, but I thought this was relevant.
I started wearing these things called Cat-Ears that really help with the wind blast.
https://www.cat-ears.com/
I got one pair of the regulars and one pair of the big fluffy ones for another helmet.The fluffy ones work better.
Wind blast alone is enough to cause hearing damage. I read something on it when I was a motorcyclist. Even inside a full face helmet, consistent wind blast can screw your hearing up. I started wearing ear plugs inside my motorcycle helmet for any ride outside of town. When I started cycling a few years ago, I noticed that the wind noise when riding on a windy day with ears open to the wind is worse than un-plugged ears inside a full face motorcycle helmet at higher speed and made the extrapolation that I would damage my hearing if I didn't take action.
Sure enough, I noticed a lot of the older riders in my club wear hearing aids. That's not necessarily a causal relationship, but one not to be ignored either.
When I'm riding on a windy day, I wear ear plugs AND the Cat-Ears. I can still hear cars approaching and such, it's just that the white noise of the wind is muffled. I strongly recommend that product, with no affiliation.
P.S. my wife has tinnitus. She's only 46, but got some ear infection after COVID that gave her the permanent tinnitus. I think it might be genetic, as her daughter and mother all speak super-loudly. Her mom's getting hearing aids soon.
P.P.S. - Funny story: I was out riding with my bike club one Saturday afternoon, another big group of roadies were coming the other way. We all waved but didn't really have time to see who the others were, without a chance to look closer. When we were just about done passing each other, one guy from the other group shouted my name. I had no idea who he was until I heard his voice, but then I knew him. He's from a neighboring club and I'd ridden with him a few times. He said: "Do you know how I recognized you?" → "By my excellent riding form, no doubt." said I. → "Those fluffy things you wear on your ears; no one else I know wears them!"