Completely off the mark.
Interacting with the orbs causes the Gloam status on you. It basically causes Blind, but also makes you immune to his AoE Petrify.
He always follows the AoE Petrify with a massive damage move that you CAN dodge, if you are able to move.

Also when his eye turns red right after this it becomes a new target, which will continually use an AoE Damage Taken Up debuff very, very fast until it dies.