Intraocular lens implantation after opacified natural lens removal is the primary treatment for cataracts in developed countries. Cataract surgery is generally considered safe, but entails significant risks in countries where sophisticated sterile operating theaters are not widely available. Post-operative infection (endophthalmitis) is a potential blinding complication. Infection often results from bacterial colonization of the new lens implant and subsequent antibiotic-tolerant biofilm formation. To combat this risk, we developed a polymeric hydrogel system that can deliver effective levels of antibiotic over an extended period of time within the globe of the eye. Norfloxacin antibiotic was loaded into cross-linked poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) gels, which were subsequently surface-modified with octadecyl isocyanate to produce a hydrophobic rate-limiting barrier controlling norfloxacin release. Octadecyl surface modification was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A 15-min modification leads to a uniform surface coating and near zero order release of norfloxacin from the matrix. Norfloxacin released from coated pHEMA kills Staphylococcus epidermidis in suspension and on a simulated medical implant surface. With these data, we demonstrate a new and effective system for sustained drug release from a hydrogel matrix with specific application for intraocular lens surgery.