‘COULDN’T SEE ANYMORE’

Bored Ape NFT Event Attendees Report Terrible ‘Eye Burn’

One attendee said a doctor informed them that the source was most likely UV rays from stage lights.

Several people have complained about vision problems, burning eye pain, and sunburnt skin after attending Bored Ape creator and blockchain company Yuga Labs’ Hong Kong ApeFest NFT event earlier this month. A few people reported their symptoms on X, formerly Twitter, with one user saying they woke up at 4 a.m. and “couldn’t see anymore.” They cited burning skin and said they needed to go to the hospital. Another account mentioned that a medical professional diagnosed them with photokeratitis, an eye condition that can develop after unprotected exposure to ultraviolet rays. A third user said a doctor informed them that the source was most likely UV from stage lights. A Yuga Labs spokesperson told The Verge that they’ve been in contact with 15 people about the incident, representing “less than one percent of the approximately 2,250 event attendees and staff at our Saturday night event.”