Jean Hill dozed off in the sun for just 15 minutes – but it was enough to leave her in agony
A retiree was left with severe sun poisoning after nodding off in the garden, prompting her to issue a stark warning to others as temperatures soar across the UK. Jean Hill, 67, intended to enjoy a brief spell of reading in the sunshine on May 1 when temperatures soared into the high 20s, but dozing off in her chair for around “10 or 15 minutes” led to an unforeseen health ordeal.
As Jean slept, her sunglasses slipped off, and the exposure caused her to wake up with a dramatically swollen eye, so much so that by the next morning she couldn’t open it due to blisters speckled with white spots. The intensity of the pain was a shock for Jean and, despite precautions with SPF 30 sunblock, doctors confirmed she was suffering from sun poisoning.
The complications escalated as she was hit with shingles, a distressing rash brought on by viral infection, heightened with fever and nausea.
Although medicated for her condition, Jean, a retired cleaner from Kidderminster, still experiences soreness and discomfort nearly two months later.
She said: “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.”
The aftermath left her reeling, as she described: “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.
“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 next day, Jean’s reflection startled her as panic took over; her husband, Timothy, 67 and a retired handyman, said that her skin had turned ‘bright red’, leading them to rush to A&E.
She said: “My face was so disfigured I could barely recognise myself. There were little white spots under my skin and it was burning.”
After being assessed by a specialist and examined with advanced equipment, Jean’s fears were confirmed; she had developed shingles as a result of her immune system being compromised by sun poisoning.
Jean recounted how her doctor linked her sun exposure to the onset of an aggressive form of sun poisoning, which subsequently led to a case of shingles. Despite receiving initial treatment, Jean’s condition required her to return for a follow-up appointment, where additional medication was prescribed due to lingering symptoms.
She said: “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 the agony, Jean’s doctors have given her hope that her condition will heal over time. She’s now on a mission to raise awareness about the dangers of the sun, even after brief exposure.
Jean believes her ordeal started when she dozed off and her glasses slipped off, leaving her eyes vulnerable to intense UV rays despite being closed.
She warned: “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.”
NHS 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