By Steven Smith
Jean Hill, a 67 year old retiree, was left battling severe sun poisoning after accidentally nodding off in the garden during the sweltering heat last May 1. She had hoped for nothing more than a bit of relaxation and reading in the sunshine when unexpectedly, a brief nap resulted in a chilling health scare.
As she dozed with temperatures hitting the high 20s, her sunglasses slipped off, leading to a frightful shock when she awoke: one eye had swollen so extremely that it had blisters and white spots. Jean, despite her diligence with SPF 30 protection, faced a brutal bout of pain, later confirmed by doctors as sun poisoning.
Compounding her troubles, shingles reared its ugly head, complete with an agonising rash, fever, and nausea – all outcomes of the viral aftermath that tormented her even almost two months post-incident.
Speaking about the incident, Jean reflected on the lead-up to the ordeal: “It was coming up to the first Bank Holiday in May and the sun came out, so I got out my sun lounger. I’m not much of a sunbather – but I fell asleep for a short time.”
She detailed the harrowing effects the day following the mishap: “But the next day I woke up and couldn’t open my eye and I was in so much pain. I was bright red, swollen and blistered and my face felt like it was on fire,” reports the Mirror.
“When I went to the hospital I was told the sun poisoning had caused shingles – I couldn’t believe it. I was given antiviral tablets, creams and eye drops – but six weeks on, I’m still swollen and in pain. I had only been sitting outside for 10 or 15 minutes – people don’t realise the danger of sunbathing.”
The following day, Jean was shocked by her own reflection, leading to a state of panic; her husband Timothy, 67, a retired handyman, remarked that her skin had become ‘bright red’, prompting them to dash to A&E.
Jean, from Kidderminster, explained: “My face was so disfigured I could barely recognise myself. There were little white spots under my skin and it was burning.”
After being seen by a specialist and undergoing examination with sophisticated equipment, Jean’s worst fears were confirmed; she had indeed developed shingles due to her immune system being weakened by sun poisoning.
Jean shared how her GP attributed her aggressive sun poisoning to her recent sun exposure, which in turn triggered the shingles outbreak. Despite initial treatments, Jean had to go back for a follow-up visit where she was prescribed additional medication to combat persistent symptoms.
She recounted: “I didn’t go out for weeks and I had to wear sunglasses or close the curtains because my eyes were sensitive to the light. I’m still on medication now – I’ve still got blisters under my brows, and my forehead is inflamed.
“I have nerve tablets for the pain and eye drops and night cream to soothe it. But it’s still really painful, I feel like banging my head against the wall. The corner of my eye is the worst.”
Despite her suffering, Jean’s doctors have given her hope that her condition will improve over time. She’s now on a mission to raise awareness about the dangers of sun exposure, even if it’s brief.
Jean believes her ordeal began when she fell asleep and her glasses slipped off, leaving her eyes exposed to intense UV rays despite being closed.
She cautioned: “There are people who go out not wearing sunglasses or a hat and lie on the beach with no sun cream on. I was careful and this happened to me – they don’t realise the danger.
“I never dreamt anything like this could or would happen. I don’t want it to happen to anyone else.”
HSE sun safety tips:
– Seek shade between 11am and 3pm.
– Avoid getting sunburned.
– Wear appropriate clothing and sunglasses.
– Be extra cautious with children.
– Always use sunscreen with at least SPF 30.
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