A method of preventing capsular opacification and fibrosis utilizing an accommodative intraocular lens implant, which includes the steps of removing a cortex and nucleus of a natural lens containing a cataract from a lens capsule of an eye of a patient; applying a photosensitizer inside the lens capsule so that the photosensitizer permeates a portion of the lens capsule, the photosensitizer facilitating cross-linking of the tissue in the portion of the lens capsule; irradiating the portion of the lens capsule so as to activate cross-linkers in the tissue in the portion of the lens capsule, thereby damaging the remaining lens epithelial cells in the lens capsule with the irradiated light so as to prevent capsular opacification and fibrosis; and injecting a transparent polymer into the lens capsule of the eye in order to form an accommodative intraocular lens for replacing the cortex and nucleus of the natural lens.