A method of manufacturing an optical fibre, which method comprises the steps of: i) providing an optical preform, ii) heating one end of said optical preform, iii) drawing an optical fibre from the heated end of the optical preform, iv) cooling the optical fibre thus drawn in step iii), v) winding the cooled optical fibre onto a reel, with a change in the tension buildup being introduced into the optical fibre in step iv), resulting in variations in the refractive index of the optical fibre as a function of the longitudinal position.