The invention relates to a process for depositing an anti-fouling top coat onto the outermost coating layer of a coated optical article, comprising the following steps: a) providing an optical article having two main faces, at least one of which being coated with an outermost layer; b) treating said outermost layer with energetic species resulting in surface physical attack and/or chemical modification; and c) vacuum evaporating a liquid coating material for an anti-fouling top coat by means of an evaporation device, resulting in the deposition of the evaporated coating material onto the treated outermost layer of the optical article, wherein prior to the vacuum evaporation step of the liquid coating material, said liquid coating material has been treated with energetic species.