New corneal implants and methods for producing such implants are disclosed. The present corneal implants comprise a lens body which is optically clear and is structured to be surgically attached in or on the cornea of a mammalian eye, the lens body including a core having an outer surface and made of a hydrogel composition containing water and a hydrophilic polymeric material, and a coating comprising a synthetic polymeric component located on the outer surface, covalently bonded to the hydrogel composition and having enhanced ability to support epithelial cell growth and/or adhesion relative to the hydrogel composition.