epidemic hemorrhagic conjunctivitis [Gk, epi, above, demos, the people, haima, blood, rhegnynei, to gush; L, conjunctivus, connecting; Gk, itis, inflammation] , a highly contagious infection, commonly involving an enterovirus, that begins with eye pain accompanied by swollen eyelids and hyperemia of the conjunctiva. It is a self-limiting disorder that has no specific remedy.