A process for sterilizing a solution comprising hyaluronic acid. The process comprises providing an aqueous solution of hyaluronic acid with a weight average molecular weight from 0.6 MDa to 3.6 MDa, and the concentration of the hyaluronic acid is from 0.04 % to 0.8 % by weight. The aqueous solution also has an ionic strength equivalent to an aqueous concentration of sodium chloride from 3 % to 30 % by weight. Once the aqueous, high salt, hyaluronic acid solution is prepared the solution is maintained at a temperature from 40°C to 80°C for at least 1 hour and not longer than six days. Following the heat treatment step, the aqueous solution is filtered through a sterilization filter medium to provide a sterilized high salt, hyaluronic acid solution.
