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Yuga Labs Confirms UVA-A Emitting Lights Cause of ApeFest Eye Issues

Numerous participants exhibited signs of photokeratitis, an ailment resulting from ultraviolet (UV) light exposure, after last weekend's event.

The original Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT collection features right-facing cartoon apes. (Yuga Labs)
The original Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT collection features right-facing cartoon apes. (Yuga Labs)

Yuga Labs confirmed that UV-A emitting lights installed in one corner of the event was "likely the cause" of a series of eye-related medical emergencies that took place at the company's Ape Fest event in Hong Kong over the weekend.

Attendees of ApeFest reported blurred vision and burning eyes after attending the event last weekend. One attendee claimed they had eye issues for more than 30 hours following the event.

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in an X post on Thursday, the company said it initiated a detailed investigation after reports came out, which comprised of an exhaustive examination of inventory records, material logs, and specification sheets, surrounding the instillation of its exhibits at ApeFest.

"This comprehensive investigation, undertaken in collaboration with Jack Morton Worldwide, the global brand experience agency that produced ApeFest 2023, has determined that UV-A emitting lights installed in one corner of the event was likely the cause of the reported issues related to attendees’ eyes and skin," the post read.

Yuga Labs says it encourages anyone that is experiencing symptoms to seek medical attention, and reach out to the company.

“Community is the heart of Yuga and the purpose of ApeFest is to bring the community together IRL,” Yuga Labs said in its post on X. “We are saddened that this incident has detracted from the experience of ApeFest attendees."

Prices of the popular Bored Apes Yacht Club slumped from 30 ether (ETH) to 28 ETH following the event and have since reversed declines.



Sam Reynolds

Sam Reynolds is a senior reporter based in Asia. Sam was part of the CoinDesk team that won the 2023 Gerald Loeb award in the breaking news category for coverage of FTX's collapse. Prior to CoinDesk, he was a reporter with Blockworks and a semiconductor analyst with IDC.

Sam Reynolds