A tellurium oxide glass that is stable, strong and chemically durable exhibits low optical loss from the UV band well into the MIR band. Unwanted absorption mechanisms in the MIR band are removed or reduced so that the glass formulation exhibits optical performance as close as possible to the theoretical limit of a tellurium oxide glass. The glass formulation only includes glass constituents that provide the intermediate, modifiers and any halides (for OH— reduction) whose inherent absorption wavelength is longer than that of Tellurium (IV) oxide. The glass formulation is substantially free of Sodium Oxide and any other passive glass constituent including hydroxyl whose inherent absorption wavelength is shorter than that of Tellurium (IV) oxide. The glass formulation preferably includes only a small residual amount of halide.