Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist (COMT) Practice Exam

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Which condition is characterized by both ocular surface inflammation and dry mouth?

  1. Graves’ disease

  2. Dry eye syndrome

  3. None of the above

  4. Sjögren's syndrome

The correct answer is: Sjögren's syndrome

The condition characterized by both ocular surface inflammation and dry mouth is Sjögren's syndrome. This autoimmune disorder primarily affects the body's moisture-producing glands, which reduces saliva production leading to dryness in the mouth (xerostomia) and affects the tear glands, causing dry eyes (keratoconjunctivitis sicca). In this way, it manifests as inflammation of the ocular surface due to insufficient tear production. The other conditions listed do not share this specific dual symptomatology. Graves’ disease, for instance, typically involves hyperthyroidism and may lead to symptoms affecting the eyes, but it does not inherently cause dry mouth. Dry eye syndrome focuses entirely on eye moisture issues without the accompanying symptom of dry mouth. Thus, Sjögren's syndrome is distinct in its combination of both ocular and oral dryness.