Can change the direction of light propagation, and can change the relative spectral distribution of ultraviolet, visible or infrared light is called optical glass. It is a kind of inorganic material, which is a kind of inorganic material by means of refraction, reflection, transmission of light through the way, or by changing the intensity or spectral distribution of light. Stable optical properties and high optical uniformity.

Optical glass is a lens, prism, mirror, window and other glass materials used in the manufacture of optical instruments or mechanical systems. Including colorless optical glass (usually referred to as optical glass), colored optical glass, radiation resistant optical glass, radiation proof glass and optical quartz glass, etc..

Optical glass has a high degree of transparency, chemical and physical properties (structure and properties), with a high degree of uniformity, with a specific and accurate optical constants. It can be divided into silicate, borate, phosphate, fluoride and sulfur compounds. According to their variety, mainly in refractive index (nD) - Abbe value (VD) to map the location classification. Traditionally nD>1.60, and nD<1.60 VD>50, all kinds of glass vd>55 constant (k) crown glass and other types of glass set for flint (f) of glass. Crown glass generally convex lens, a concave lens for flint glass. Usually crown glass belongs with the alkali borosilicate glass system, light crown glass belonging to the aluminum silicate system, crown glass and barium flint glass belongs to non alkali borosilicate glass system, the vast majority of flint glass belongs to lead the potassium silicate system. With the development of the application of optical glass, the variety of optical glass is expanding, and its composition includes almost all the elements in the periodic table.