What term is used for a definite turning inward of the eye?

The term used for a definite turning inward of the eye is esotropia. This condition involves the eyes being misaligned such that one or both of the eyes turn inward towards the nose. It is a specific type of strabismus, which refers to any misalignment of the eyes. Individuals with esotropia may have difficulty with binocular vision and depth perception, as the brain may struggle to fuse the images from each eye due to the constant inward turn.

In contrast, exotropia describes a turning outward of the eye, while hyperphoria refers to a vertical misalignment where one eye tends to drift upward. Phoria is a broader term that encompasses various types of misalignment but refers to a latent condition where the eyes can maintain alignment when both are open but may experience misalignment when one eye is covered.