When viewers of Britain’s Got Talent first saw Simon Cowell in red-tinted glasses, they thought they were just a fashion statement! But it turns out these glasses are much more than that.
Cowell’s glasses are actually migraine glasses. They’re designed to help people who get migraines from oversensitivity to light. And, like more than 37 million Americans, Simon Cowell suffers from debilitating migraine attacks.
He explained how the glasses were helping him manage migraines and light sensitivity caused by long days under studio lights. Then, he let slip that he was working on his own eyewear brand.
In October 2025, reports surfaced that the project would be called Soothe, and it could launch within the following 12 months.
But when will Soothe launch exactly? I decided to do a little detective work to get an idea of what’s going on with the brand. Will we be seeing a Simon Cowell eyewear range any time soon?
Before we investigate the future of Soothe, let’s take a closer look at migraine glasses themselves. What are migraine glasses, and can they actually help soothe migraine symptoms?
Cowell’s Eyewear Choice
Cowell has spoken about his migraine attacks several times. He said that the set lights on Britain’s Got Talent bothered him and would trigger attacks. Mind you, these aren’t minor headaches. Cowell has missed filming for two auditions because of it.
So, he decided to do something about it. He bought cheap migraine glasses on Amazon to try out the technology. His £20 pair changed his life, and it planted the seed for Soothe Eyewear!
Cowell is not alone; other well-known personalities get migraines and are occasionally seen wearing migraine glasses. This includes U.S. Ambassador and humanitarian Cindy McCain, Lady Gaga, and Serena Williams.
Light Sensitivity and Migraines
Light sensitivity, or photophobia, is experienced by up to 80% of people with migraines. It can happen during and between attacks. If you have photophobia, you might be extra sensitive to bright light, changes in light, glare, and flickering light. Even certain patterns or colors of light may trigger discomfort.
Why are people with migraines more prone to light sensitivity? Neuro-ophthalmologist Dr. Rani Banik explained in a Spotlight on Migraine podcast interview. He said that:
“The cornea, which is on the very surface of the eye, is very rich in nerve endings, and these nerves are basically branches of the trigeminal nerve… So when light hits the cornea, it can activate those trigeminal nerve endings. And if that trigeminal pathway is primed for migraine, it’s almost like your nerve endings tend to be hyperexcitable. Different wavelengths of light can trigger a migraine attack.”
Light sources that can potentially trigger migraines
The range of light sources that can trigger migraine attacks has expanded significantly as the world has become more digital. Some common triggers include:
- Fluorescent lights, which flicker at frequencies that can trigger migraines even when you don’t consciously see the flickering.
- LED lights emit high levels of blue light, which is a huge problem for light-sensitive individuals.
- Computer screens, smartphones, and tablets emit concentrated blue light, which can also trigger migraines.
- The filming lights in studios, such as the Britain’s Got Talent studio, can be as intense as 10,000 lux. Normal indoor light is typically only 200 to 500 lux.
- Natural light can also trigger migraines. Some people find that bright sunlight, when reflected off snow or water, can act as a migraine trigger. Others experience problems with sudden changes in light levels.
How Migraine Glasses Work
Migraine glasses operate on lens technology that filters specific wavelengths of light. The most established technology here is the FL-41 (or “fluorescent-41”) lens, which features a distinctive pink-tinted coating that blocks approximately 80% of blue light and 50% of green light.
A study called Blue Light Exposure: Ocular Hazards and Prevention—A Narrative Review by Cougnard-Gregoire, A., Merle, B.M.J., Aslam, T. et al., as published at Ophthalmol Ther, offers more information on this. The study points to blue light in the 480-nanometer range as an overstimulator for retinal pathways in people prone to migraines. Likewise, certain green wavelengths around 530 nanometers have been identified as triggering discomfort in those with photophobia. FL-41 lenses filter out these wavelengths while allowing other beneficial light to pass through.
Other than FL-41 technology, you’ll find migraine glasses in different tints. These tints are designed to filter out specific light sensitivity patterns. Pink ones are the most popular. They are useful across all indoor and outdoor migraine-triggering activities. If you are particularly sensitive to fluorescent light, amber-colored lenses might be your best bet. Red-tinted lenses, like Cowell’s, may offer the best protection against blue light.
Why not just use regular sunglasses?
Regular sunglasses work by dimming ambient light. They then cause the pupils to dilate in response to reduced light input.
When dilated pupils are suddenly exposed to regular indoor lighting, the increased light intake can trigger an immediate migraine attack. This rebound effect makes traditional sunglasses counterproductive for ongoing light sensitivity management.
Also, consider that there may be social and practical limitations in wearing dark glasses indoors. They hide your eyes, which gets in the way of social interactions and professional work performance.
With migraine glasses, you get the ideal brightness levels for your pupils. You can switch between outdoor to indoor environments without experiencing the “shock” of changing light intensity.
Some Limitations of Migraine Glasses
Keep in mind that migraine glasses may work only for some people. Others might get little help from these glasses. So, it might be a good idea to try what Cowell did: Buy a cheap pair to see if the technology works for you.
Migraines are a complex condition, and how they manifest differs in each person. Migraine glasses are just one of the tools used to manage the condition.
Everyone’s migraine glasses needs will be different. So, it’s best to get advice from your doctor first to help find the pair that’s right for you.
Simon Cowell’s Red Migraine Glasses: Everything We Know
Now that you know more about migraine glasses, let’s get back to Cowell’s eyewear brand. We’ll also go more into Cowell’s history with red-tinted glasses.
I trawled the web looking at interviews, television appearances, and public statements, and I found that Simon has been very open about why he wears these distinctive red glasses. In fact, he’s been talking about them for quite a while.
The glasses first appeared in 2023
It was in September of 2023 that Cowell first attracted attention with his red-tinted glasses. He was at a red carpet event ahead of the season 18 finale of America’s Got Talent when a reporter from The Daily Mail grilled him on it.
Cowell didn’t link the glasses to migraines in his response, but instead, he told the reporter he was wearing them because of their ability to filter light.
He explained:
“Everything looks better. You look amazing! And you know what, it cuts out all the blue light on computers and iPads. I have lights in my face when I am filming so this cuts out a lot of that.”
In 2024, Cowell confirmed the glasses were for migraines
After missing part of a day of Britain’s Got Talent auditions in February 2024, several media outlets reported that Cowell was suffering from a “mysterious illness.”
Cowell decided to reassure his fans directly with an Instagram post:
He wrote:
“I just found out according to the internet, I have a ‘mystery illness’. 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. Next week we are filming BGT in Manchester – I look forward to seeing you then. PS. This is why I wear these glasses!”
This seems to be the first time Cowell publicly connected the glasses to migraine attacks caused by prolonged exposure to studio lights.
Interestingly enough, you’ll notice the top comment on the post asks, “What brand are these?” Could this be where he got the inspiration for creating his own eyewear line?
The studio lights were becoming a problem
A couple of months later, Cowell was speaking to reporters from The Standard while promoting the return of Britain’s Got Talent. He gave a few more details on why he’d started relying on the tinted lenses.
“The red glasses are because I have lights in my eyes all day long and it’s like a laser and I get migraines and that’s like a filter. They actually do work.”
That’s a pretty strong endorsement from someone who spends countless hours under powerful stage lighting.
When asked whether his new look was intended to become a new fashion trend, Cowell joked:
“I don’t think anyone has ever copied my fashion, but you never know.”
Cowell may have been joking, but there definitely HAS been plenty of interest in his choice of eyewear. So much so that people are wondering when we’re going to hear more about his new business venture.
Simon Cowell publicly announced he was creating his own brand
During the premiere episode of America’s Got Talent Season 19 on May 28, 2024, host Terry Crews brought up the growing curiosity surrounding Cowell’s tinted lenses.
“[Viewers are] very curious about why Simon always wears sunglasses indoors.”
Cowell replied:
“Two reasons, Terry. Number one, I get migraines. Number two, I don’t sleep well so I found these. They are so good that I am now making my own brand.”
From my extensive research, this appears to be the only public confirmation from Cowell himself that he is working on his own eyewear brand.
Cowell didn’t stop at announcing the brand. During the episode, he also handed out personalized pairs of glasses to fellow judges Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, and Sofia Vergara. He didn’t miss out on host Terry Crews either. Whether we should expect the glasses he gifted that day to be part of the future Soothe range remains to be seen.
When will Soothe Eyewear be released?
In October 2025, reports surfaced claiming that Cowell’s upcoming brand would be called “Soothe” and could launch within the following year.
These reports didn’t come from anything Cowell had said himself. Instead, they came from a source speaking to The Sun.
This is what their source said:
“Simon knows first-hand how painful migraines are. He initially got a pair of anti-migraine glasses from Amazon for less than £20 to see if they work and they actually do. He plans to call his brand Soothe and hopefully they will be released within 12 months.”
If their statement is accurate, that should mean we’d be seeing Simon Cowell’s line of eyewear hit the shelves somewhere around October 2026. But at the time of writing, there haven’t been any confirmed product releases, official launch dates, or anything else at all connected to the brand that I could find with my research.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the project has been abandoned. Product development often takes longer than expected, particularly when a brand is entering a specialized category like migraine eyewear. We’ll have to wait and see if more is announced about the brand.
For now, what we do know is that Cowell appears to genuinely rely on tinted migraine glasses, and he has repeatedly spoken positively about the benefits they’ve provided him.
Cowell’s Soothe Eyewear Brand and Other Market Options
Through some more online sleuthing, I found another Soothe eyewear brand offering migraine glasses. Soothe Optics is a family-owned company in New Jersey. I reached out to them, and they said they have no connection to Cowell’s eyewear venture.
So, if you can’t wait for Cowell’s Soothe, know that you have other options.
Apart from Soothe Optics, you have companies like TheraSpecs and Axon Optics offering you a good range of migraine glasses. You’ll find an impressive range of medical-grade precision light-filtering lenses in various frame designs.
Migraine glasses are available at a wide variety of prices. Here’s what you can generally expect from glasses in each price range:
TL;DR
- Simon Cowell mentioned on Britain’s Got Talent that he would launch his own eyewear brand, specifically focused on migraine glasses. A source told The Sun that this brand would be called Soothe Eyewear.
- Cowell has famously worn red-tinted glasses on TV to combat light sensitivity and migraine attacks. Other celebrities, such as Cindy McCain, Lady Gaga, and Serena Williams, also suffer from migraines.
- More than 37 million Americans suffer from migraines, 80% of whom are also extra sensitive to light.
- Migraine attacks can be triggered by changing light intensity, glare, flickering light, and other light conditions.
- Migraine glasses work by filtering out specific light wavelengths. The FL-41 lens, for example, is rose-tinted and filters 80% of blue light and 50% of green light.
- Traditional sunglasses don’t work because they just dim light, and they may not be socially acceptable when worn indoors.
- Migraines are complex conditions, and not everyone may experience the same benefits from migraine glasses.
- Cowell’s Soothe Eyewear brand is an upcoming entry into the migraine glasses market. Some other light-filtering glasses options include glasses from Soothe Optics, TheraSpecs, and Axon Optics.
