Both hydrophilic and antifouling surfaces were prepared on silicone hydrogels with poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate (PEGMA) grafted by UV-induced radical polymerization. The PEGMA-grafted silicone hydrogels were characterized by graft yield and static water contact angle measurements. According to the results, the graft yield reached a maximum at 8 min of UV exposure time and 20 wt% PEGMA concentration. The modified silicone hydrogels possessed hydrophilic surfaces with the lowest water contact angle of 36 degrees. The oxygen permeability and transparency of the PEGMA-grafted silicone hydrogels were as high as the unmodified silicone hydrogel. The mechanical property of silicone hydrogels was maintained at about 95% of the tensile strength and elastic modulus after the PEGMA grafting. The in vitro single protein adsorption on the PEGMA-grafted silicone hydrogels decreased by 70-80% compared to the unmodified silicone hydrogel. The PEGMA-grafted silicone hydrogel is expected to be a novel biomaterial, which possesses excellent surface hydrophilicity, antifouling property, oxygen permeability, and mechanical property. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012