Ta2O5, ZrO2 and HfO2 films are deposited on BK7 substrates by electron beam evaporation method. The effects of oxygen deficiency on the optical properties and laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) are investigated by the combination of experimental methods and first principles calculations. The results show that the oxygen deficiency weakens the transmittance, whereas it enhances the absorption of all the films. Once the oxide vacancy appears, the band gaps decrease greatly, which seriously decrease the LIDT. The calculated negative vacancy energies indicate that, when the oxygen vacancy exists, Ta2O5 is most easily to be damaged, next is ZrO2 and the last is HfO2. It is consistent with the LIDT results that Ta2O5 increases 64.8%, ZrO2 increases 19.4% and HfO2 increases 12.9% when the oxygen vacancy is eliminated. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.