Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the treatment of synthetic plastic, hydrophobic, transparent, intraocular lenses to avoid trauma which causes protein adhesion to occur on the surface of the lens thereby causing endothelial cell damage and corneal deterioration. The process includes the first step of cross-linking the surface of the synthetic plastic, hydrophobic, transparent, intraocular lens by treating the lens with a stream of gas containing from about 5-100% by weight hydrogen of a low pressure of about 0.5-5 Torr in the presence of an A.C. electrical discharge. The second step involves treating such cross-linked surface with hydroxyl radicals, thereby to hydrophilize the surface. The hydrogen may be pure or a component of an inert gas mixture, e.g. in helium.