Gooey fluid turned into $1.68b liquid gold for Jinan

An aseptic workshop producing facial masks at Freda's factory. XINHUA "In the early 1990s, HA was mainly for medical use, particularly in orthopedics and ophthalmology, and it was very expensive," said Liu Aihua, senior vice president of Bloomage Biotechnology Co based in Jinan. "At that time, the cost of using HA viscoelastic agents for a cataract surgery was around 2,700 to 3,000 yuan. "The viscoelastic agents made from HA help millions of ophthalmic patients regain their sight each year," said Liu. "In cataract surgery the role of hyaluronic acid in facilitating procedures and protecting the corneal endothelium is well established," said Wang Lihua, 70, an eye expert at Jinan Huashi Eye Hospital.