Femtosecond laser induced changes and writing in optical materials have proven to be an excellent route to the production of high-quality micro-and nanofabrication of functional devices. In this paper we present the latest advancements in femtosecond laser processing of optical materials for device applications. We look at femtosecond direct laser writing for photonic device fabrication in fused silica and active glasses.We also discuss femtosecond laser writing and wet chemical etching in fused silica, Foturan, and chalcogenide glasses with applications in microfluidics, optics, sensors, and photonic devices.