An optical ferrule (200) includes a top major surface (10) and a bottom major surface (70) opposite the top major surface (10). The top major surface (10) has an attachment portion (20) for receiving and securing a plurality of optical waveguides (30). A light redirecting portion (60) receives along a first direction (51) the central light ray (50) transmitted by the optical waveguides (30) and redirecting the received central light ray (53) along a different second direction (52). When the optical ferrule (200) mates with a mating optical ferrule (300), the bottom major surface (70) makes physical contact or near physical contact with a corresponding surface of the mating optical ferrule (300) to define a contact or near contact interface (71) therebetween. An average gap defined between the optical ferrule (200) and the mating optical ferrule (300) in the near contact interface (71) is less than about 3 microns. The redirected central light ray (53) exits the optical ferrule (200) and enters the mating optical ferrule (300) through the contact or near contact interface (71).