A swelling or puffiness of the conjunctiva (the transparent membrane covering the white part of the eye), often caused by inflammation or infection.
From Greek chemo- or possibly from a different root; -osis indicates a medical condition or pathological state. The term has been used in ophthalmology since at least the 19th century.
If you've ever had severe eye irritation and noticed the white part of your eye puffing up around the iris, that's chemosis—it's your eye's way of saying something's seriously wrong.
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