A distal end of an optical fiber may be protected by a variety of alternative protective caps, tips, and/or sleeves. In one example, a generally cylindrical soft tip is arranged to fit over the end of the fiber, and to compress in an axial direction when pressed against a stone to allow a recessed tip of the fiber to contact the stone or to be maintain a minimum spacing between the fiber tip and the stone and thereby limit erosion of the fiber tip.
