A method for simultaneously ablating and functionalizing a portion of a polymeric ophthalmic substrate surface, comprising the following steps: applying a CO2 particle spray against an unreacted portion of the substrate surface; and simultaneously projecting at least one source of ionizing-heating radiation into said CO2 particle spray flowing against said unreacted portion of the substrate surface, thus intersecting and mixing together to form an instantaneous surface treatment composition of ionizing-heating radiation and CO2 particle spray flowing against the substrate surface, and to form and remove a reacted portion of the substrate surface.