The NFT fad may have come to a merciful end but those caught up in it aren’t out of the woods yet. However, while most people who bought NFTs suffered financial damage, the unfortunate attendees of Hypebeast/Yuga Labs’ Hong Kong “Apefest” have been blinded.
Recommended VideosThe Apefest took place on Friday in Hong Kong, boasting a stage that included several large UV lights. The use of UV lights at a show like this isn’t unusual, so long as they are the safe UV-A ‘blacklight’ bulbs that merely make light surfaces glow purple.
What you don’t want at a concert are UV-C lamps. These emit short-wave radiation that can be used to sterilize medical equipment, for food sanitation, or to treat water for consumption. Fortunately, there are strict rules on which bulbs to use for concerts, so only the most stupid or incompetent events organizer would install giant UV-C lights at a concert…
What happened?
You can probably see where this is going. The attendees of the Hong Kong Apefest spent hours bathed in the sterilizing glow of multiple Philips TUV 30W G30 T8 light bulbs. These emit 12 watts of UV-C radiation and are intended to be used for air and water purification.
So let’s check in on the attendees:
Woke up in the middle of the night after Apefest with so much pain in my eyes that I had to go to the hospital. I've seen several tweets about it
Doctor told me it was due to the UV from stage lights. I go to festivals often but have never experienced this
I try to understand…
— Crypto June 💎🎯 (@CryptoJune777) November 5, 2023
Looks like the Hong Kong ERs had a busy day:
Anyone else’s eyes burning from last night? Woke up at 3am with extreme pain and ended up in the ER.
I saw a couple reports but just trying to figure out if there was a common thread.
— FΞLD | mrbayc.eth (@Feld4014) November 5, 2023
Not a fun time:
Ya and I was in the club house like 70% of the time and I’m still rekt. I can’t imagine how people who were out there the whole time are fairing.
Thanks for the info though.
— FΞLD | mrbayc.eth (@Feld4014) November 5, 2023
The worst hangover:
Stay safe! Hope you recover soon
— Crypto June 💎🎯 (@CryptoJune777) November 5, 2023
Many have been exhibiting the same symptoms:
I didnt know about it to. He said it can be inside lasers or very big lamps.
Hope you are allright and no long term damage. 🙏🏼
— Crypto June 💎🎯 (@CryptoJune777) November 5, 2023
Pictures later emerged of the stage set-up, and… it doesn’t look great:
lights at the side fixed and sweeping at eye level
— ThisIsTom 🐸🟪 (@ThisTomIsTom) November 5, 2023
The aftermath
Those exposed to this large amount of UV-C radiation are suffering from a condition known as Photokeratitis. This is essentially sunburn of the eye (specifically the cornea) and is just as painful as it sounds.
The intense pain caused by this condition has no easy treatment. Anesthetic eye drops can work in the short term, but continued use runs the risk of losing the eye altogether. Fortunately, in most instances simply confining yourself to a dark room will allow the cornea to heal after around 72 hours, though lingering pain from the eye damage is likely depending on the severity and length of exposure.
History repeats itself
Incredibly, this isn’t even the first time Hypebeast has blinded its guests. As per the post below, Hypebeast organized a party six years ago in Hong Kong that also used disinfecting UV lamps:
re: bored apes with eye injuries from apefest
6 years ago in Hong Kong, hypebeast had a party, 3rd party contractors installed disinfecting UV lights, instead of stage lights, & people had similar eye injuries, burning, blindness, photokeratitis
it's possible this happened
— CryptoFinally (@CryptoFinally) November 5, 2023
Yuga Labs is yet to put out any kind of statement acknowledging its blinded guests, though it seems some are already considering legal action (though liability may then be passed on to contractors).
Hopefully, those afflicted will get their sight back soon. Sure they may be NFT bros, but as annoying as they can be, they probably don’t deserve to be blinded by a crappy concert run by dangerously incompetent idiots.
