An optical device wafer processing method for processing an wafer having an epitaxy substrate and an optical device layer formed on the front side of the epitaxy substrate through a buffer layer. The buffer layer is to be broken in the condition where the optical device layer is bonded through a bonding metal layer to a transfer substrate. The method includes a buffer layer breaking step of applying a pulsed laser beam having a wavelength having transmissivity to the epitaxy substrate and having absorptivity to the buffer layer from the back side of the epitaxy substrate to the buffer layer, thereby breaking the buffer layer. The buffer layer breaking step includes a first laser beam applying step of completely breaking the buffer layer corresponding to an optical device area and a second laser beam applying step of incompletely breaking the buffer layer corresponding to a peripheral marginal area.