Weak perturbations from various refractive index distributions have been introduced into the central layer of the three layered dielectric slab optical waveguide model and solutions of the wave equation in this guide for TE modes have been compared with the results published for the unperturbed mode. The perturbations in general introduce quadrature components in the transverse modes and a mode width dependent amplitude. The mode position within the guide can be shifted and the mode width increased or decreased. With increasing parabolic perturbation there is increasing waveguide discrimination against higher order modes.