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This paper provides a practical connection between the Strehl ratio as an optical performance metric and manufacturing parameters for diamond-machined optics. The choice of fabrication parameters impacts residual midspatial frequency groove structures over the part’s surface, which reduce optical performance. Connections between the Strehl ratio and the fabrication parameters are studied using rigorous Rayleigh–Sommerfeld simulations for a sample optical system. The connections are generalized by incorporating the shape of diamond-machined groove structures and the effects of optical path differences for both transmissive and reflective optics. This work validates the analytical representation of the Strehl ratio as a Fourier transform of a probability density that relates to surface errors. The result is a practical tool that can be used to guide the choice of machining parameters to achieve a targeted optical performance. © 2019 Optical Society of America https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.58.003272