An optical coupling system and method are provided for coupling light from a light source into an optical waveguide that reduce back reflection of light onto the light source and provide controlled launch conditions that increase forward optical coupling efficiency. The optical coupling system comprises at least one curved optical surface having perturbations formed therein over at least a portion of the curved optical surface that intersects an optical pathway. The perturbations have a lateral width and a maximum height that are preselected to improve forward optical coupling efficiency and to decrease back reflection of the light beam from the optical waveguide end face onto the light source aperture. The perturbations improve forward optical coupling efficiency by creating a complex light beam shape that is preselected to match a spatial and angular distribution of a plurality of light modes of the optical waveguide.