Ternary soda lime phosphate glasses doped with V2O5 from the two varieties (Na2O-CaO-P2O5, Na2O-CaF2-P2O5) were prepared. The spectral analysis of both optical and FT infrared absorption were conducted for the equipped undoped and two V2O5-doped glasses (0.5 and 1% V2O5) before and after gamma irradiation. ESR technique is used for two chosen samples to confirm the spectral data. Strong UV bands are identified in all the samples but the V2O5-doped samples show additional three broad visible bands. The UV absorption is assumed to be related to the contamination by trace iron impurities, while the visible range bands are attributed to the existence of two species (V3+ and V4+) ions due to the host phosphate glass has reducing effect. FT infrared absorption spectra reveal characteristic vibrational bands due to phosphate groups and the two glass systems show similar IR spectra. Gamma irradiation results in new visible band, while in the irradiated V2O5—doped samples no new band was observed. The induced band in the base glass is related to the formation of (POHC) or (NBOHC) and the presence of vanadium ions causes some shielding behavior toward gamma irradiation. The optical and FTIR results show no distinct variations between the effects of the modifier CaO or CaF2. ESR measurements indicate the presence of unpaired vanadium species in the studied host phosphate glasses.