Final answer:
The correct term for ocular misalignment and deviated gaze, as observed when a nurse flashes light into a child's eyes, is strabismus. This condition is different from myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism, which are also vision defects but do not cause misalignment of the eyes.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a nurse flashes light into the eyes of a child and observes ocular misalignment and a deviated gaze, this condition is referred to as strabismus. Strabismus is characterized by the misalignment of the eyes, which can result in a deviated gaze where the eyes do not properly align when looking at an object.
The provided options such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism describe other types of vision defects. Myopia, or nearsightedness, causes distant objects to appear blurry and is related to the focal point of light being in front of the retina. Hyperopia, or farsightedness, is a condition where close objects appear blurry because light focuses behind the retina. Astigmatism involves an asymmetry in the focus of the eye, often due to irregularities in the shape of the cornea.
To document this finding of misalignment accurately, the nurse should use the term strabismus in the child's medical records.