Yes, children can use artificial tears. There can be a lot of discomfort involved with dry eyes. Dryness can cause children's eyes to feel hot or dry. They may also experience a lot of watering in their eyes. The sensation of dry eyes can sometimes mimic the feeling of sand or dirt in the eyes. Using artificial tears at least four times a day can help your child with dry eyes, however this should only be done for a short period of time. If the symptoms do not go away please schedule a dry eye evaluation to get to the bottom of what is causing your child's symptoms. One of the main culprits of dry eye in children is excessive screen time. When a child is looking at a screen they blink less often and less fully, which causes the eyes' natural tear film layer to evaporate more quickly. This in turn can lead to other complications. Using artificial tears without preservatives is usually recommended, especially if using the artificial tears for more than a short period of time.