Near-infrared shielding includes a glass material. The shielding provides transmittance at wavelengths between 390 to 700 nm, but near infrared absorbing species are distributed throughout the glass material and the shielding blocks light in the near infrared range. Further, the glass material has a near zero or negative coefficient of thermal expansion, allowing the glass material to heat up when the shielding is blocking a near infrared laser, without expanding much.