S.R.I. "Optics" was founded in 1978 as a dual subordinate organization of the Georgian Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Union Electronics and was the research center of the Soviet military-industrial complex using optics. The Georgian Academy of Sciences carried out its scientific-methodological guidance. In 1992, after the declaration of independence of Georgia, the institute was transferred to the Ministry of Science and Technology and was renamed the Scientific Research Institute "Optics".

From its foundation until 2006, the Institute was headed by Jemal Avaliani, Doctor of Technical Sciences; From 2006 to 2008 - by Doctor of Technical Sciences - Irakli Kordzakhia; From 2008 to 2017 - by Doctor of Technical Sciences - Irakli Avaliani; Davit Kakulia, Doctor of Physics, has been the director of the Institute since 2017.

1979 document from the archive. (in Russian)