I saw kaleidoscopic light before going permanently blind after taking free shots in Laos that killed 6

The Sun

3 days ago

A BRITISH backpacker who went blind after drinking methanol-laced shots in Laos described seeing a "kaleidoscopic light" before his vision went black.
Calum Macdonald, 23, stopped off in the popular tourist destination of Vang Vieng in Laos during his first solo trip abroad last year.
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He became a victim of methanol poisoning after being given free shots of vodka and whiskey at the Nana Backpacker Hostel.
Several travellers were hospitalised and six people died after unknowingly drinking contaminated alcohol in November last year - including Simone White, 28, a lawyer from Orpington in South East London.
Calum met two of the victims of the mass poisoning - Annie-Sofie Orklid Coyman and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, both from Denmark - on a night out.
The 23-year-old was left permanently blind after ingesting methanol, a chemical found in dodgy booze that turns toxic in the body.
He is now speaking out about his story for the first time.
Calum was with friends at the Nana Backpacker Hostel in November 2024, he told BBC Breakfast.
Free whisky and vodka shots were offered to guests and Calum mixed his with soft drinks.
He began to suspect something was seriously wrong the next day when he stepped off an overnight bus at the Vietnamese border.
Calum realised he couldn't read any of the administrative forms in front of him.
Instead, all he could see was a "kaleidoscopic blinding light".
I survived Laos alcohol poisoning that killed my pal Simone White & 5 others - I felt paralysed after drinking six shots
Calum told his friends about it and they initially thought he might be suffering from food poisoning.
"I remember having this sort of kaleidoscopic, blinding light in my eyes and to the point at which I couldn't see anything,' he told BBC Breakfast.
"[We agreed] it was strange but we thought it was food poisoning and the light I was seeing was some kind of sensitivity.'
But things further escalated when the group got to their hotel in Vietnam.
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"We were sitting in the hotel room, my friends and I, and I said to them: 'Why are we sitting in the dark? Someone should turn a light on'," Calum recalled.
The lights were already on.
Methanol is a type of alcohol commonly found in cleaning products, fuel and antifreeze.
It's similar to ethanol, which is used for alcoholic drinks, but is more toxic to humans because it turns to formic acid when processed by the body.
Even a tiny amount can mess with your system, causing vision problems, permanent damage to your central nervous system, or, in extreme cases, death.
Because it is tasteless and has only a faint smell, it is impossible to tell if a drink has methanol in it.
Why is methanol so deadly?
By Sam Blanchard, Health Correspondent
Methanol is a super-toxic version of alcohol that may be present in drinks if added by crooks to make them stronger or if they are brewed or distilled badly.
The consequences can be devastating because as little as a single shot of contaminated booze could be deadly, with just 4ml of methanol potentially enough to cause blindness.
Prof Oliver Jones, a chemist at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, said: 'The body converts methanol to formic acid.
'Formic acid blocks the action of an enzyme that is critical to how the body uses oxygen to generate energy.
'If it stops working, cells cannot take up or use oxygen from the blood and lack of oxygen causes problems in a range of organs as the cells start to die.
'Symptoms of methanol poisoning include vomiting, seizures and dizziness.
'The optic nerve seems to be particularly vulnerable to methanol toxicity, so there is the potential for temporary or permanent blindness, and even death.
'While thankfully rare, methanol poisoning is very serious, and treatment should be given at a hospital.'
Booze can become contaminated with methanol if it is manufactured poorly.
The chemical is also sometimes used in counterfeit or homemade alcohol to cut costs, which means it's most likely to show up in shady local spirits or cheap cocktails, Travel Aware says.
Methanol poisoning is a known problem with cheap spirits in South East Asia where hundreds of people are poisoned each year, according to the charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
As little as 30ml of methanol can be fatal to humans, but poisoning can be treated if caught 10 to 30 hours after consuming dodgy booze.
Simone also stayed and drank at the Nana Backpacker Hostel the day after Calum left.
After waking up lethargic and nauseous, the 28-year-old was rushed to hospital by fellow travellers in a near paralytic state.
Simone suffered seizures and could no longer breathe on her own, so she was placed on life support.
She died in hospital nine days after consuming free vodka shots, from a bleed in her brain caused by methanol poisoning.
Two Danish women also died after drinking at the hostel, whom Calum had met.
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He said learning of their deaths changed his perspective on his blindness.
"Part of the way that I [had] dealt with it was to bury my head in the sand," he told the BBC.
"I did really feel like, in many ways, my life wasn't worth living.
"[The deaths] made me realise that I was very lucky and I felt very grateful that, although I had some difficult consequences, a lot of people did have it worse.
"I felt, given that I was lucky enough to survive, I have a bit of a responsibility to try and prevent the same thing from happening to other people."
Calum is now learning to use a cane and hopes to apply for a guide dog soon.
He is working with the families of three other British people who died following methanol poisoning in South East Asia.
They are calling on the Foreign Office to be clearer about the dangers people face when booking holidays in countries where methanol poisoning is a concern.
The Foreign Office described methanol poisoning and counterfeit alcohol as a "serious problem in some parts of the world" and said it was working with local authorities and the travel industry to tackle the issue.
"We seek to make clear the risks to British people travelling abroad and we raise awareness through our travel advice and Travel Aware campaign."
Signs of methanol poisoning
Spotting methanol poisoning can be tricky because at first, it can feel like regular alcohol poisoning.
But there are key differences to watch for:
Early signs: You might feel confused, dizzy, extremely tired, or even start throwing up.
Serious symptoms appear 12-48 hours after drinking, so be vigilant even the day after. Headaches, nausea, seizures, or even slipping into a coma are common symptoms. Basically, if you're feeling very drunk, out of proportion to how much you've had to drink, get help ASAP.
Vision issues can also appear 12-48 hours after the first drink. Methanol poisoning can cause blurry vision, trouble looking at bright lights, and even complete blindness. If you have 'snowfield vision' (seeing snowy static like an old TV) or tunnel vision, that's a red flag.
If you or anyone you're with starts to show any of these signs, call or visit the local hospital immediately.
It could save your life or prevent serious complications
How to reduce the risk of methanol poisoning
Methanol has a faint smell and is tasteless, so it can be hard to know if your drink has been contaminated. So here are a few tips to keep you and your mates safe:
Stick to licensed places. Only buy your drinks from proper bars, reputable hotels or licenced shops.
Avoid homemade booze. Local spirits or homemade vodka might seem fun and adventurous, but they're high-risk.
Check your bottles. Seals should be intact, and labels should look legit (no misspellings or dodgy print).
Be cautious about cocktails. Stick to sealed or bottled drinks. Pre-mixed cocktails and 'buckets' (cheap mixed drinks served in plastic containers) in touristy areas can be a gamble.
Source: Travel Aware