Abstract: A hydrogel tissue adhesive having increased degradation time is described. The hydrogel tissue adhesive is formed by reacting an oxidized polysaccharide with a water-dispersible, multi-arm amine in the presence of a polyol additive, which retards the degradation of the hydrogel. The hydrogel may be useful as a tissue adhesive or sealant for medical applications, including but not limited to, ophthalmic applications such as sealing wounds resulting from trauma such as corneal lacerations, or from surgical procedures such as vitrectomy procedures, cataract surgery, LASIK surgery, glaucoma surgery, and corneal transplants; neurosurgery applications, such as sealing the dura; as a plug to seal a fistula or the punctum; adhesion prevention to prevent undesired tissue to tissue adhesions resulting from trauma or surgery; and as a hemostat sealant.