PURPOSE: To improve the precision in the meridian radial direction by rotating a polishing tool in the direction different from the moving direction of a work holder.

CONSTITUTION: A work 1 finished into the preset radius of curvature in the previous process is fitted and fixed on the outer periphery of a rotatably supported wheel 2, and the wheel 2 is rotated at the rotating speed about 10-200 rpm. A rotary polishing tool 4 fitted with a polisher 3 is arranged to face the machined face of the work 1, and the polishing tool 4 is rotated to polish the machined face while a polishing liquid made of cerium oxide and water is fed. The polisher 3 has elasticity and is elastically deformed into a cup shape by the inner pressure applied by the air from the inside of the tool 4. Since the polisher 3 is elastically deformed into a cup shape, the moving direction applied by the rotation of the polisher 3 is perpendicular to the moving direction of the wheel 2 and does not coincide with it.