To make clearance regulation of shaping molds and a sleeve unnecessary, to make size-change such as lengthening of the fitting length of the shaping molds and the sleeve unnecessary, and to shape an optical element having high eccentric precision.

The method for shaping the optical element comprises shaping a heated and softened optical element workpiece 3 into a desired optical element by press-shaping the workpiece 3 with a couple of shaping molds 1, 2 in a sleeve 4. The method includes a regulation process for regulating the gradient of at least one of the couple of shaping molds 1, 2 in the sleeve 4 based on the eccentricity of the couple of shaping molds 1, 2 by the dimensions of the couple of shaping molds 1, 2 and the sleeve 4, and a shaping process for press shaping the optical element workpiece 3 with the the couple of shaping molds 1, 2 subjected to the regulation of the gradient.