Methods are provided for laser patterning a partial depth surface portion of a glass body by controlling the amount of stress induced in the glass body. A laser beam is directed along an impinged path on the surface portion of the glass body to heat the glass body to form a swell. The glass body is then cooled and etched. The surface portion of the glass body is heated above the strain point at a heating rate HR to form a swell. The heating rate HR is a function of a target temperature T and an exposure time of the output laser beam. The exposure time is controlled to reach a target temperature above the softening point of the glass body and does not require a power density that would lead to laser ablation of the surface portion. The surface portion is cooled below the strain point to induce regions of localized stress. The unablated surface portion is etched while in a state of laser-induced localized stress to form a patterned glass body.