PURPOSE: To shorten the cycle time for molding an optical element at the time of heating an optical glass blank material to soften and molding the optical element, such as lens, by press forming molds.

CONSTITUTION: This molding device has a barrel mold carrier 40 which is imposed with the optical glass blank material 31, transports the material and regulates the outer edge of the blank material at the time of molding, a heating furnace 35 which heats the glass blank material 31 and the barrel mold carrier 40 prior to press forming, a heating means 62 which heats the contact part of the glass blank material 31 via the barrel mold carrier 40, forming molds 21, 22 which press forms the glass blank material softened by heating at a temp. lower than the temp. of the glass blank material and a cooling means 80 which directly cools the outer peripheral part of the barrel mold carrier so as to cool the outer edge of the optical element 32 while cooling the optical surface of the molded optical element 32 with the forming molds.