Sneaky Summertime Health Hazards

We have gotten more summer-like weather lately, heating up and humidity. Three of the biggest health risks in summer are sunburns, heat stroke, and the risk of drowning. But here are four other summertime health hazards you might not think about all that much that could put a damper on your summer fun.

1. Eyeball sunburns. It only takes a few hours under the right conditions, and it can lead to things like cataracts and macular degeneration. That's why good, UV sunglasses are important. Just don't be like those solar eclipse idiots last year, who showed up in the E.R. after putting sunblock in their eyes.

Apparently, after the eclipse, some emergency rooms had to treat people who put sunscreen literally on their eyeballs. Thanks, WYCB channel 5 in Bristol for reporting that. Not only was this reported in Virginia but all over America, people were showing up at Emergency rooms with that same problem.

The odds are they won't wind up with permanent damage from the sunscreen but if they felt like it made it okay to look directly at the eclipse, then they could be in trouble.

2. E. coli bacteria. It's in the fecal matter of humans and other animals, like birds. So you can come in contact with it at the beach, in the water, or in swimming pools. Wear flip flops or boat shoes when walking near water that could help cut down your risk.

After reading this part you may think twice about jumping in the pool. The CDC looked at pools a few years ago and found that, quote, "fecal incidents" are more common than you think. And the chlorine in the water might not take care of it.

3. Food poisoning. It's more common in the summer for a couple of reasons. People at picnics and barbecues leave stuff like potato salad sitting out in the sun. And because of undercooking meat on the grill. I have to say I am guilty of wanting my meat cooked medium rare.

4. Alcohol-related dehydration. It's a lot easier to get dehydrated when it's hot out. And alcohol dehydrates you too. So find some shade, and mix in some water every now and then. Really get in as much water as you can.