The present invention is a tinted, optical adhesive for use in making plasma display filters comprising a substantially acid free, pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) containing a narrow-band, visible spectrum dye (e.g. less than 30 nm bandwidth) and a broader-band, near infra-red spectrum dye (e.g. greater than 200 nm), the second dye providing enhanced thermal stability as well as near infra-red (NIR) blocking. Further, acid-free adhesives offer improved stability of light control dyes. In the present invention, porphyrin-based dyes combined with acrylate-based, pressure-sensitive optical adhesives are preferred. Invention offers reduced number of functional layers in an optical filter structure as well as reduced number of manufacturing (lamination) steps in the optical filter/plasma display assembly process.