Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for detecting and compensating for a kink in an optical fiber. A distal sensor (11) monitors a level of a parameter in an environment in which the distal sensor is immersed. The distal sensor is disposed at a tip of the optical fiber (17) and the optical fiber conveys green light signals and near infrared (NIR) light signals to and from the distal sensor. A photodetector (59') records the signal and reference values for the green light signals and the NIR light signals conveyed by the optical fiber at consecutive data points. A microcontroller (42) is electronically coupled to the photodetector and receives the signal and reference values for the green light signals and the NIR light signals. A kink in the optical fiber is detected when a change between NIR signal values recorded at a pair of consecutive data points recorded by the photodetector is greater than a predetermined threshold.