An optical fiber is disclosed which includes a protective outer jacket. The outer protective jacket is grooved to include one or more peripheral grooves formed into the jacket. In operation of a laser device, laser energy passes through the optical fiber to the distal tip of the optical fiber. As the distal tip erodes, the outer protective jacket also erodes in a controlled fashion such that portions of the outer jacket flake off as the fiber tip erodes to the position of the peripheral grooves formed in the outer jacket rather than in a random fashion.