The present invention relates to a method of altering the refractive properties of the eye, the method including forming a pocket in a cornea of an eye of a patient so as to gain access to tissue bounding the pocket after the pocket in the cornea has been formed, applying a photosensitizer inside the pocket so that the photo sensitizer permeates at least a portion of the tissue bounding the pocket, the photosensitizer facilitating cross-linking of the tissue bounding the pocket inserting a lens implant into the pocket so as to change the refractive properties of the eye and irradiating the cornea so as to activate cross-linkers in the portion of the tissue bounding the pocket and thereby stiffen the cornea and prevent corneal ectasia of the cornea.
