Protecting optical coatings represents an interesting area of applied science in which synthetic fluorine chemistry merges with surface science in support of thin film coating technology. This paper discusses the application of various fluorine-rich coatings materials as a means of protecting dielectric coatings against such factors as moisture, chemicals and various contaminants. It discusses the methods of applying protective coatings to various dielectric materials commonly used in the design of optical thin films such as anti-reflection coatings, mirrors and conductive coatings. In particular, this paper emphasises an approach developed by JDSU to apply stable fluorocarbon-based protective coatings to some non-oxide surfaces. The results presented in this paper include surface energy, chemical resistance, as well as XPS and SIMS analysis of the coatings.