Method for producing an optical element made of plastic, in particular an optical lens of a motor vehicle lighting device, by means of injection moulding, comprising - a first process cycle, in which a blank of the optical element, which has at least in some regions a lesser quality in terms of shape, dimensions and/or surface finish, is produced by injection moulding, and - at least one further process cycle (22, 23), in which the blank is overmoulded with an additional layer of plastic at least on some of the regions of lesser quality, - wherein the optical element has a desired quality in terms of shape, dimensions and/or surface finish only after the last further process cycle (22; 23) as a result of overmoulding the blank with the additional layer, - wherein the blank in the first process cycle is injected with an outer peripheral edge (7"; 7"') which projects beyond an optically effective region of the finished optical element, which edge is used in the subsequent at least one further process cycle (22, 23) for holding and positioning the blank in a cavity of a moulding tool, which cavity is to be injected, characterized in that the outer peripheral edge (7"') which projects beyond the optically effective region of the finished optical element is used in the subsequent at least one further process cycle (22, 23) for dividing the cavity that is to be used for the injection moulding into a first part-cavity arranged on the front side of the blank and a further part-cavity (41") arranged on the rear side of the blank, and in that an injection moulding operation for the additional layer of plastic to be injected onto the front side of the blank on the one hand and an injection moulding operation for the additional layer of plastic to be injected onto the rear side of the blank on the other hand are carried out simultaneously, but each injection moulding operation is controlled or adjusted individually per se. - a first process cycle, in which a blank of the optical element, which has at least in some regions a lesser quality in terms of shape, dimensions and/or surface finish, is produced by injection moulding, and - at least one further process cycle (22, 23), in which the blank is overmoulded with an additional layer of plastic at least on some of the regions of lesser quality, - wherein the optical element has a desired quality in terms of shape, dimensions and/or surface finish only after the last further process cycle (22; 23) as a result of overmoulding the blank with the additional layer, - wherein the blank in the first process cycle is injected with an outer peripheral edge (7"; 7"') which projects beyond an optically effective region of the finished optical element, which edge is used in the subsequent at least one further process cycle (22, 23) for holding and positioning the blank in a cavity of a moulding tool, which cavity is to be injected, characterized in that the outer peripheral edge (7"') which projects beyond the optically effective region of the finished optical element is used in the subsequent at least one further process cycle (22, 23) for dividing the cavity that is to be used for the injection moulding into a first part-cavity arranged on the front side of the blank and a further part-cavity (41") arranged on the rear side of the blank, and in that an injection moulding operation for the additional layer of plastic to be injected onto the front side of the blank on the one hand and an injection moulding operation for the additional layer of plastic to be injected onto the rear side of the blank on the other hand are carried out simultaneously, but each injection moulding operation is controlled or adjusted individually per se.