Example eye treatments determine an area at a surface of a cornea for delivery of a cross-linking agent. The example treatments disrupt tissue at the area at the surface of the cornea up to a depth corresponding to apical layers of superficial squamous cells of the cornea, e.g., no greater than approximately 10 μm to approximately 15 μm. The example treatments apply a cross-linking agent to the area at the surface of the cornea. The cross-linking agent is transmitted through the disrupted area at a greater rate relative to non disrupted areas of the cornea. The example treatments deliver photoactivating light to the cornea. The photoactivating light activates the cross-linking agent to generate cross-linking activity in the cornea.