Optical characteristics and structural changes depending on CuO content in phosphate glasses that are used in near-infrared (near-IR) filters were investigated. With phosphate glasses that contain 1-9 mol% CuO, changes in optical transmittance, optical absorption, and color coordinate were measured with a UV-VIS spectrophotometer. An XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) analysis was performed to determine valence of copper ion that influences optical characteristics in near-IR filter glasses. Structural changes in glasses depending on CuO content were also analyzed by FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared) and Raman spectrophotometers. From the UV-VIS spectrophotometer results, strong absorption peaks at 220 & 900 nm were found and transmittance was decreased. The color coordinates of the glasses were shifted to the green color direction with CuO addition for increasing absorption of long wavelength range spectra, in spite of the amount of $Cu^{2+}$, which gives a blue color to glasses, and which was increased in XPS results. Also, structural de-polymerization of glasses with CuO addition were found by FT-IR and Raman results.