To improve, for example, the stability of repeated operations, the stability of preserving high temperature/low temperature, the stability of a long term preservation and the reliability in a variable optical element which uses an electrowetting phenomenon.

The variable optical element is composed by including: a pair of light transmissive members 10, 31; an insulating first liquid 11; a conductive second liquid 12; a first electrode 22; a second electrode 32; a first insulating film 23; and a second insulating film 33. The first insulating film 23 is formed between the first electrode 22 and the second liquid 12, and the second insulating film 33 is formed between the second electrode 32 and the second liquid 12. Further, the second insulating film 33 is composed of an insulating film which has a surface on the second liquid 12 side having affinity larger to the second liquid 12 than to the first liquid 11 and non-swellability to the second liquid 12.