Yuga Labs looks into complaints of eye injuries at ApeFest Hong Kong

Yuga Labs, the company behind the popular Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT collection, has initiated an inquiry following reports of eye injuries sustained by participants at ApeFest in Hong Kong.

The event, which took place Saturday night, has been overshadowed by complaints from several attendees who say they have experienced severe eye pain.

“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,” recounted “Crypto June” on X.

“Doctor told me it was due to the UV from stage lights. I go to festivals often but have never experienced this,” Crypto June added.

While there has not been independent confirmation of these accounts, Yuga Labs said it is communicating with at least 15 attendees who have reported eye pain.

“We are aware of the situation and are taking it seriously,” the company said.

“We are actively reaching out to and are in touch with those affected. We’re also pursuing multiple investigative lines of inquiry to learn the root cause.”

Around 2,250 people attended ApeFest in Hong Kong — including myself. Yuga Labs said that those affected account for less than 1% of attendees.

Callan Quinn is DL News correspondent in Hong Kong. Have a tip? Contact her at callan@dlnews.com.

Updated on November 6 to report Yuga Labs’ statement on the matter.