Radial emission optical fiber terminations that include conical elements can prevent axial emission and redirect all incident light to radial positions. One termination includes an optical fiber having an up-tapered terminus, the up-tapered terminus having a maximum taper diameter of at least 1.5 times the core diameter and ending at a cone-tip which has an apex angle in a range of about 70° to about 100°. Another termination includes a fiber cap that is a unitary construction of a glass tube and an optical element that bisects the glass tube. The glass tube includes an open end adapted to receive an optical fiber and a closed end. The optical element, consisting of fused quartz or fused silica, has an input face proximal to the open end of the glass tube and a conical face proximal to the closed end of the glass tube.
