Driver with severe eczema was ‘allergic to light’

A father of three who was allergic to light died in a car crash after venturing out in his car after dark.

Paul Attley, 55, suffered from a severe form of eczema that caused his skin to burn and peel within seconds of exposure to sunlight resulting in horrendous pain. His condition, chronic actinic dermatitis, made him allergic to light including UVA and UVB and artificial light such as fluorescent lights in shops. The condition restricted his movements largely to night time.

Mr Attley, from Kilternan, Glencullen, Co Dublin, died following a single vehicle road crash on February 28 last. His wife, Breda Attley, told Dublin Coroner’s Court how the condition affected her husband.