The merits and performance of optical diamond-like carbon (DLC) films are generalized. The most popular production methods for DLC films are pulsed laser deposition, filtered arc deposition, radio frequency plasma chemical vapor deposition, magnetron sputtering, radio frequency sputtering and ion beam deposition. The principle, character, research process of those methods and the performance and application on various optical materials and fields of the DLC films deposited by those methods are summarized. Through analyzation of domestic and overseas research progress, wide application prospect and huge practical value of optical DLC films are revealed.