PURPOSE: To obviate the generation of striae by evaporation even in the case of press cooling by melting the glass blanks metered to the weight corresponding to the weight of molded goods in a melting vessel and supplying all thereof to molds.

CONSTITUTION: The glass blanks 4 are metered to the weight corresponding to the weight of the molded goods in the method for forming glass optical elements by supplying fused glass 4a between the upper and lower molds 6 and 7 and press cooling the glass. A melting crucible 3 charged with these glass blanks 4 is preheated by upper and lower heaters 1a, 2a to a temp. at which the evaporation of the glass by heating does not substantially arise. The melting crucible 3 is thereafter rapidly heated by a high-frequency heating coil 5 up to the temp. at which the glass blanks 4 attains the glass viscosity to permit press forming.