Why Simon Cowell wears red-tinted glasses on 'AGT' — and it’s not just a fashion choice
Simon Cowell, the 'AGT' judge, is not new to making headlines. However, this time he is making headlines for reasons other than what transpired between the contestants on the show. Believe it or not, it's his red-tinted glasses that have stolen the spotlight. While some fans speculate it to be about a fashion statement or a new trend, the real reason is rooted in health concerns. Cowell once explained about his medical illness in an Instagram post, which was captioned, "I just found out, according to the internet, I have a 'mystery illness.' He then added, "For anyone concerned, I missed two auditions at the end of one day, two weeks ago, because I do get migraines after long days in the filming lights," as reported by Yahoo.
This is Heart also shared Cowell's statement on their Instagram post, which got many fans relating to his. "Yes, I can relate to migraines and lights/flashing, etc." Another said, "I understand now." The third said, "Irlen Syndrome, I have it too, and wear dark lenses as glasses; they help so much." Cowell also revealed in an interview that the red-tinted glasses prevent him from having migraine attacks. The fourth added, "I wear red tint for the same reason, but as a graphic designer, I have to remove them when working. I dim my screen and the lighting in my office. Also, mine are prescription, and they give me a headache at the screen lol. I wear a lighter-tinted non-prescription lens at the screen if it’s a rough day. I’ve had migraines since I was 6, and there are so many triggers for me."
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Per The Sun, Cowell revealed, "The red glasses are because I have lights in my eyes all day long." He added, "It’s like a laser, and I get migraines, and that’s like a filter. And they do work." A professor from King’s College London also shared an insight with an outlet: "Some of those with migraines do find relief with tints. There is some limited science to this. Altogether, it’s fair to say it’s not very well understood. That said, light sensitivity is very common in migraines.”
Rob Music, chief executive of The Migraine Trust, also gave his input: “Like many other approaches to migraine care, some people report finding migraine glasses helpful while others don’t report any benefit. At the moment, there is not enough high-quality scientific evidence for us to know whether these glasses help people with migraines or not, so we cannot recommend them.” He added, "What may be a trigger for one person may not be for another. Commonly reported ones include stress, changes to routine, and certain foods and light."
However, it is not the glasses alone that fans have found intriguing. It's also his signature long-sleeved thermal tops. In an interview with The Standard, Cowell revealed why he always chooses to wear the same outfit over and over in 'BGT' this season. “It’s underwear; they are like if you go skiing, it’s like thermals,” he shared. “It’s so cold in the theater, I thought, ‘You know what? I’m just going to wear thermals this year. I didn’t plan to. I just turned up, and it was so cold, and someone said, ‘Oh, that looks good,’ so I thought, ‘OK, I’ll be fine; I’ll wear it.’” When asked if he might spur on a new trend, he quipped, “I don’t think anyone has ever copied my fashion, but you never know.”