Abstract Linear and nonlinear optical absorption coefficients and refractive index changes with the three-dimensional ring-shaped pseudoharmonic potential are theoretically investigated. The wave functions and the energy levels are obtained by using separation of variables. It is found that the optical absorption coefficients and the refractive index changes are strongly affected not only by the chemical potential V0 and the zero point of the pseudoharmonic potential r0, but also by the parameter β of the ring-shaped potential.