That is right, dead people with open eyes look creepy, specially when their faces look so serious. Due to my job, I saw about a half dozen of dead people, some of them after two or more days after they became diseased, and their faces weren't happy faces at all, but looking at the "empty", however, to me would be more creepier if that dead person is smiling and looking at me.
A new program can animate old photos. https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/business/deep-nostalgia-myhertiage-ai-learning-trnd/index.html In ther examples it looks a bit creepy... but might be oK to use it on family members who have died.!!!
and, I had thought that Because there was a potential for the conscious mind to still see closing the eyes ended the agony if seeing without being able to act.
Because the person is no longer there.. I can assure you, there is nothing worse than looking into the eyes of a deceased loved one and knowing they are gone. It is horrifyingly traumatic. Closing the eyes gives the impression that they are now at peace.
There was some folklore in different places/times that if a body could ''see'' while being taken to the grave, he/she would come back to haunt the living. Also, there was a time when large coins were placed over the eyelids of the dead, as to not cause the eyelids to retract. Overall, it seems respectful to close the eyes of the deceased.
