Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis is a viral conjunctivitis that often causes pain. The viruses that cause acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis are of a class of viruses called the picornaviruses. This is a contagious viral infection which can cause public outbreaks of this type of conjunctivitis. There is an immunity that is developed from exposure to the acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis. This immunity lasts seven years. Therefore, after an area has been hit with an epidemic, they will not usually have another such epidemic for at least seven years.

This eye condition is most prevalent among children in their young teenage years, namely from the ages of ten to fourteen. The symptoms of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis have a sudden onset. The person is likely to experience a sudden onset of pain, swelling, and redness of the eyes. Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis causes excessive tearing and hemorrhaging of the conjunctiva.

Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis causes outbreaks or epidemics. Some places where there have been documented epidemics are Japan, India, Mexico, and areas of Africa near the equator. The Caribbean has had epidemic outbreaks of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis. From August 2003 to October 2003, there was an outbreak of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis in Puerto Rico. The estimated number of people who had acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis was close to half a million people.

When a large percentage of people in one area are affected by such a contagious form of conjunctivitis, there are economic consequences. People who have the disease must avoid the workplace and school. Parents may have it particularly difficult since they are at greater risk of contracting the disease than single adults, plus they may have to miss work to care for children who have to miss school due to the conjunctivitis.

According to a survey by the Puerto Rico Department of Health, the more children who are in the household, the more likely the parents were to contract the illness. This is detrimental since a large household is likely to be most negatively impacted by losing income due to having to avoid the workplace. Of the people who had to miss work, the average amount of work miss was three days. The Puerto Rico Department of Health estimated that the epidemic of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis cost Puerto Rico $30 million in medical costs and lost worker production.

Even though missing work and school can have a negative impact on the families, it is imperative for people with this highly contagious form of pink eye to avoid contact with the general public as much as possible. While there is no treatment for acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis, the disease tends to run its course in five to seven days.