A method of corneal implantation with cross-linking is disclosed herein. In one or more embodiments, the method includes the steps of: (i) cutting a circular implant from a donor cornea; (ii) cutting the circular implant into a plurality of constituent pieces; (iii) forming a small incision in a recipient cornea of an eye of a patient; (iv) forming a pocket in the recipient cornea of the eye of the patient, the pocket being accessible through the small incision in the recipient cornea, and the pocket being bounded entirely by stromal tissue of the cornea; and (v) inserting each of the plurality of constituent pieces of the implant into the pocket of the recipient cornea via the small incision, wherein the implant is cross-linked so as to prevent an immune response to the implant and/or rejection of the implant by the patient.