The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a composite materials comprising the steps of (a) providing a hydrophobic organic bulk material, and (b) applying a hydrophilic surface coating on the hydrophobic organic bulk material by first non-covalently attaching to the surface of the bulk material a water-soluble peptide comprising a hydrophobic moiety； and then chemically or enzymatically crosslinking said water-soluble peptide. The composite materials manufactured according to the process of the invention have desirable characteristics regarding adherence to the substrate, durability, hydrophilicity, wettability, biocompatibility and permeability and are thus particularly useful as ophthalmic devices.
