Optical element for directing light emitted by lighting means arranged in a row such as LED's - with a rear side turned to the lighting means and a front side facing away from the lighting means, - with recesses on the rear side that are respectively limited by longitudinal side wall sections, intermediate wall sections and a bottom section for receiving a lighting means and/or for providing a light entry surface in which light enters the optical element, - with a first deflecting area on the rear side with at last one deflecting surface for deflecting light in direction of a hollow placed on the front side of the optical element, in particular a V-shaped hollow, - with a second, in particular stepped, deflecting area on the rear side for providing a multitude of spaced deflecting surfaces for deflecting light in direction of a light exit surface (20a, 20b) on the front side of the optical element, wherein light is deflected by a delimiting surface of the hollow placed on the front side of the optical element onto the second deflecting area on the rear side of the optical element, wherein an intermediate wall section of a recess has, on the side opposed to the recess, respectively at least one deflecting surface (34a-d) acting in particular as a total reflection surface, characterized in that the at least one deflecting surface (34a-d) acting in particular as a total reflection surface is designed for deflecting the light emitted in longitudinal direction into the first deflecting area on the rear side of the optical element, wherein the intermediate wall section has a rhomboidal recess between adjacent light entry areas. - with a rear side turned to the lighting means and a front side facing away from the lighting means, - with recesses on the rear side that are respectively limited by longitudinal side wall sections, intermediate wall sections and a bottom section for receiving a lighting means and/or for providing a light entry surface in which light enters the optical element, - with a first deflecting area on the rear side with at last one deflecting surface for deflecting light in direction of a hollow placed on the front side of the optical element, in particular a V-shaped hollow, - with a second, in particular stepped, deflecting area on the rear side for providing a multitude of spaced deflecting surfaces for deflecting light in direction of a light exit surface (20a, 20b) on the front side of the optical element, wherein light is deflected by a delimiting surface of the hollow placed on the front side of the optical element onto the second deflecting area on the rear side of the optical element, wherein an intermediate wall section of a recess has, on the side opposed to the recess, respectively at least one deflecting surface (34a-d) acting in particular as a total reflection surface, characterized in that the at least one deflecting surface (34a-d) acting in particular as a total reflection surface is designed for deflecting the light emitted in longitudinal direction into the first deflecting area on the rear side of the optical element, wherein the intermediate wall section has a rhomboidal recess between adjacent light entry areas.