A method of processing an optical fiber (10,110,210,288,305,405), comprising the steps of: drawing an optical fiber (10,110,210,288,305,405), in a drawing direction along a process pathway through a coating chamber (20, 120, 220, 315, 415) comprising coating liquid in order to coat the optical fiber (10,110,210,288,305,405); and directing a separate flow or stream (170, 180,270,280,340, 345,445,450,) of coating liquid through the coating chamber (20, 120, 220, 315, 415) in a direction transverse to the direction of the drawing direction of the optical fiber (10,110,210,288,305,405), through the coating chamber (20, 120, 220, 315, 415), which transverse flow (170, 180,270,280,340, 345,445,450,) of coating liquid sweeps across and through the process pathway in the drawing direction to mix with, dilute, or otherwise interact thermally or mechanically with the coating liquid comprised in the coating chamber (20, 120, 220, 315, 415) wherein the transverse flowing coating liquid is flowed in the transverse direction at a rate selected from the following: greater than 0.1 cm 3 /s, greater than 0.2 cm 3 /s, greater than 0.5 cm 3 /s, in the range from 0.1 cm 3 /s - 20 cm 3 /s, in the range from 0.2 cm 3 /s - 20 cm 3 /s, in the range from 0.5 cm 3 /s - 20 cm 3 /s, wherein the separate transverse flow (170, 180,270,280,340, 345,445,450,) of coating liquid is introduced (170, 270,340,445,) into the coating chamber (20, 120, 220, 315, 415) at an inlet (282, 330, 435) and wherein the separate transverse flow (170, 180,270,280,340, 345,445,450,) of coating liquid is removed (180, 280, 345, 450) from the coating chamber (20, 120, 220, 315, 415) at an outlet (290, 335, 440) opposite the inlet (282,330,435.) drawing an optical fiber (10,110,210,288,305,405), in a drawing direction along a process pathway through a coating chamber (20, 120, 220, 315, 415) comprising coating liquid in order to coat the optical fiber (10,110,210,288,305,405); and directing a separate flow or stream (170, 180,270,280,340, 345,445,450,) of coating liquid through the coating chamber (20, 120, 220, 315, 415) in a direction transverse to the direction of the drawing direction of the optical fiber (10,110,210,288,305,405), through the coating chamber (20, 120, 220, 315, 415), which transverse flow (170, 180,270,280,340, 345,445,450,) of coating liquid sweeps across and through the process pathway in the drawing direction to mix with, dilute, or otherwise interact thermally or mechanically with the coating liquid comprised in the coating chamber (20, 120, 220, 315, 415) wherein the transverse flowing coating liquid is flowed in the transverse direction at a rate selected from the following: greater than 0.1 cm 3 /s, greater than 0.2 cm 3 /s, greater than 0.5 cm 3 /s, in the range from 0.1 cm 3 /s - 20 cm 3 /s, in the range from 0.2 cm 3 /s - 20 cm 3 /s, in the range from 0.5 cm 3 /s - 20 cm 3 /s, wherein the separate transverse flow (170, 180,270,280,340, 345,445,450,) of coating liquid is introduced (170, 270,340,445,) into the coating chamber (20, 120, 220, 315, 415) at an inlet (282, 330, 435) and wherein the separate transverse flow (170, 180,270,280,340, 345,445,450,) of coating liquid is removed (180, 280, 345, 450) from the coating chamber (20, 120, 220, 315, 415) at an outlet (290, 335, 440) opposite the inlet (282,330,435.)