The loading capability is a bottle-neck challenge in both the construction and operation of high-power laser facilities. Under high-fluence, nanosecond laser irradiation in the ultraviolet regime, damage sites are constantly witnessed initiating and growing on the rear surface of fused silica, severely limiting the loading capability of high-power lasers. Optics recycling which is based on improving the damage resistance of fused silica and mitigating the as-grown damage sites is currently the major strategy for improving the loading capability. This paper introduces the recent progress in the laws and mechanism of laser-induced damage in fused silica, the essential techniques supporting the optical recycling strategy and the new materials and techniques developed to improve the loading capability of high-power laser facilities.