Yes. The advice is not to avoid using filter words, but simply to be aware of them. Learn what they do. Sometimes distance is exactly what you want to create—such as your example of a person coming out of unconsciousness, and only being half aware of their surroundings. Filter words do the trick, but don't call attention to themselves in that context.
As I see it, filter words are an issue when the POV character is not focusing on the fact that his senses provided the information, but the narrator is. So they're a break in the POV. If he is focusing on his senses, they're just fine. If you walk out and see that your car is missing, you don't think, "I see that my car is gone!" You think, "Hey! My car is gone!" If you walk into the house and someone is playing Joan Jett loud enough to make the windows rattle, you don't think, "I hear music." You think or say, "Hey! You want to get us evicted?" If your roommate went off to have a long bath and left the bacon cooking, you don't think, "I smell bacon and I see smoke." You think or say, "Hey! Are you crazy?" But if you're awakened by the smoke detecter's "Help me help me I'm out of batteries!" beep, you probably DO think, "Did I hear something?" If you're driving along and a tiger peeks out of the bushes at you for a split second in your peripheral vision, you probably DO think, "Hey, did I see that or am I delusional?"
This gets all my yes. And as others have already pointed out, any "writing rule" that tells you not to do this or use that or do this, not that, is nearly always a rule being lazily parroted off without any detail. As @BayView mentioned, there is a time and a place for the passive voice. And as @ChickenFreak eloquently elaborates above, it's about being deliberate in your choices. It's not yes/no, do/don't. It's about using the right thing at the right time and thinking about when that time is and where. Whenever I see someone say put a comma everywhere you would pause in speech, I'm left dumfounded. Worst iteration of a punctuation rule I've ever heard. No. That's not how it works. Yes, every comma gets a pause, but not every pause gets a comma.
Everyone has given great advice on this thread. Don't know if I have anything to add or not. Maybe just ... I avoid filter words when they look and sound like filter words. For instance you can use filter words to great effect. Well, well, well, I see that bitch Cassandra decided to wear white to my wedding after all. One glass of pino noir - oops, I'm so sorry - should take care of that. It's technically a filter word but it still feels fun. The trouble I have with the something happened sentence is - what happened? What's the delay. I notice this happens a lot in first drafts or with writer's who are bit distanced. The writer will say something abstract then spend a paragraph explaining what they really meant. It gets confusing - why is the information doled out so miserly? Instead why not give a concrete but still muddled impression ( if the issue is to show confusion ) - A flash to my right, sent dots to my eyes. Paparazzi! I haul ass to the limo. This way the readers have a clear impression of what's going on. Less words and no filters. Best of all a clear idea of the character. Filters have a way of delaying the issue. Or even circumventing the issue. - I noticed Michael came in late. For your character to notice this and take the time to make mention of it there has to be some under-core feeling behind it. Is the mc noticing that Michael is late again because he's been out drinking? Is he feeling jealous or wry.? Maybe he's angry because nobody calls him on being late. I sometimes find filters have a way of avoiding a deeper connection with the MC, avoiding clear impressions, because instead of saying - Here's Mike, hungover and late again. If that idiot thinks I'll cover for him... a writer will usually say - I noticed that Michael is late again.
