[en] A new mechanism is presented for dielectric breakdown of wide gap materials in intense fields of photons having wavelengths in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. It is based on multiphoton generation of free carriers and energy deposition from the photon field to the lattice via electron--photon--phonon collision processes. This laser breakdown model represents an alternative to the so-called avalanche ionization mechanism. It is further demonstrated that laser pulses with peak fluxes below the single-shot threshold for both bulk and surface damage of sodium chloride crystals modify the properties of this material. As a result of multiphoton exciton generation primary defects are formed which lead to intense directional emission of neutral halogen and alkali atoms. As a consequence, the crystal surface is severely perturbed. The technique of thermally stimulated exoemission of particles to assess the degree of surface pertubation after laser exposure was developed. Ongoing experiments present for the first time evidence that the single-shot laser surface damage threshold decreases with laser-induced surface perturbation