The overall performance of optical equipment and devices is ultimately dependent on their transparency. This is especially evident when such devices are constantly exposed to varying environmental conditions. Thus the development of a robust, transparent and self-cleaning coating is highly desirable. This work discusses the inherent difficulties in the design of transparent self-cleaning coatings. Describing hydrophobicity and the potential challenges the achievement of transparency can introduce. Before detailing the various established methods of characterisation of super hydrophobic surfaces and outlining some of the group’s preliminary results.