Bored Ape NFT event attendees report ‘severe eye burn’
www.theverge.com
Some reports claim the injuries were caused by event lighting.

It’s likely because some light fixtures that emit a ton of UV light also look “cool” and get used in the wrong setting. They’re supposed to be for stuff like disinfection. Looks like the bulbs outlining the dj both could be the issue. It wouldn’t be any of the professional fixtures. (Pic in comments because I don’t think you can upload an image in this community for the main post)

  • swicano@kbin.social
    26·
    1 year ago

    I hope they weren’t blasting UVC disinfectant lights directly at the audience. That would not be great for their health

  • AutistoMephisto@lemmy.worldEnglish
    162·
    1 year ago

    Reminds me of the Havana Syndrome event at the US and Canada Embassies in Cuba. In 2017 several people who worked there reported feeling strange symptoms from ringing ears to nausea to cognitive dysfunction. Despite several years of research and study no cause was ever found. It was also determined that it could not be caused by a yet-to-be-known weapon by a US adversary. Despite this, the Pentagon still has conducted research in the effects of long-term exposure to RF waves in animals to see if they could make the symptoms of Havana Syndrome manifest.

    Except the difference here is that these are idiots who very clearly exposed themselves to UV radiation.

    • zepheriths@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      1 year ago

      Havana Syndrome still effects U.S. navy personnel fairly regularly. My Dad even thought he had it for a while. I think it more related to people being at sea for sometimes a month or more without landing.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldBEnglish
    5·
    1 year ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:

    Several people have reported experiencing eye pain, vision problems, and sunburnt skin on Sunday after attending ApeFest, a Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT collection event in Hong Kong that ran from November 3rd-5th.

    Some ApeFest attendees posted on X (formerly Twitter) after seeking medical attention, with one person reporting that they had been diagnosed with Photokeratitis — aka, “welder’s eye,” a condition caused by unprotected exposure to ultraviolet radiation — and another saying the issue was a result of UV from the stage lights, leading to speculation that the injuries were caused by improper lighting used at the event.

    Yuga Labs, the blockchain company behind the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT project, says it’s aware of the situation and taking the reports seriously.

    “We are actively reaching out and in touch with those affected to better understand the root cause,” said Yuga Labs spokesperson Emily Kitts in a statement to The Verge.

    Similar symptoms, which include sunburn and waking up to severe, burning eye pain, were reported in 2017 by partygoers who attended a Hypebeast event at The Landmark commercial complex also in Hong Kong, with the event’s DJ later discovering lighting used mainly for disinfection purposes had been installed at the venue.

    The Landmark venue did not feature on the ApeFest event plan, and the two incidents appear unrelated.

    The original article contains 301 words, the summary contains 220 words. Saved 27%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!