Optical　limiting　(OL)　cycling　performance　and　photostability　of　vanadyl　phthalocyanines　(VOPcs)　and　naphthalocyanines　(VONcs)　were　studied.　The　results　show　that　although　vanadyl　2,　11,　20,　29-tetra-tert-butyl-2,　3-naphthalocyanine　has　the　most　pronounced　OL　effect　originally,　it　is　not　a　promising　OL　material　due　to　its　poor　photostability.　Meanwhile,　vanadyl　2,　9,　16,　23-etraphenoxy-29H,　31H-phthalocyanine　is　considered　to　be　a　potential　OL　material,　owing　to　its　considerable　OL　effect　and　good　photostability.　A　possible　photochemical　mechanism　behind　the　reverse　saturable　absorption　(RSA)　and　photolysis　process　of　the　studied　species　is　proposed.