hmm... actually not that easy to answer for me since obviously as the other ones stated when you don't need the approach circles you play hidden (which i actually do a lot lately). but i wouldn't really call it look at either. idk. it's kind of a mixture for me i guess. i'd rather call it something like perceive than look at? idk. they help a bit but mostly a.) as a stronger visualizer (e.g. at hidden maps some sliders aren't starting where you expect them too but from the other side and in that short time where you see where they begin i don't always see it fast enough or for example two stacked notes which are really behind each other and not even slightly delayed. i guess the hit circles really help a lot at such situations. b.) at slower parts of the song where you aren't really into the rhytm as much.on the other hand obviously i can't read every hitcircle in a 200 bpm deathstream, you need to feel the rhythm there i guess. so yeah, they help. i do see them. but i don't try to click when they actually hit the border of the hitcircle and concentrate on that or think about it.