Abstract: Light efficient packaging configurations for LED lamps using high refractive index encapsulants. The packaging configurations including dome (bullet) shaped LED's, SMD (surface mount device) LED's and a hybrid LED type, including a dome mounted within a SMD package. In another embodiment used with SMD LED devices a relatively small semi-hemispherical “blob” of HRI encapsulant surrounds the LED chip with the remainder of the SMD cavity filled with conventional encapsulant. The packaging configurations increase the LED's light emission efficiency at a reasonable cost and in a commercially viable manner, by maximizing the light efficiency while minimizing the amount of high refractive index encapsulant used.