A device for moving an optical element along the optical axis of a microscope, comprising: - a parallelogram guiding unit for the optical element, having an mounting element for mounting in a microscope or as a part of a microscope and having a holder element for the optical element of the microscope, which holder element is spaced from the mounting element, the mounting element and the holder element being connected via two connecting arms (34, 36) of the parallelogram guiding unit which are arranged, at their ends, at the mounting element and the holder element, - a pivotable adjustment lever with a bearing point at which the adjustment lever is rotatably supported, and - an adjustment drive for rotating the adjustment lever about its bearing point, - the adjustment lever having a coupling point at which the adjustment lever is operatively connected to the holder element for moving the same, and having an adjustment point at which the adjustment lever is operatively connected to the adjustment drive, characterized in that - the bearing point of the adjustment lever is arranged between the coupling point thereof and the adjustment point thereof and the distance L2 from the adjustment point to the bearing point and the distance L1 from the coupling point to the bearing point define an adjustment lever reduction ratio of the pivot path of the adjustment lever at the adjustment point thereof to the pivot path of the adjustment lever at the coupling point thereof and - the mounting element comprises a bearing arm extending towards the holder element and having a pivot bearing for the bearing point of the adjustment lever, the pivot bearing of the bearing arm being located outside the region occupied by the parallelogram guiding unit. - a parallelogram guiding unit for the optical element, having an mounting element for mounting in a microscope or as a part of a microscope and having a holder element for the optical element of the microscope, which holder element is spaced from the mounting element, the mounting element and the holder element being connected via two connecting arms (34, 36) of the parallelogram guiding unit which are arranged, at their ends, at the mounting element and the holder element, - a pivotable adjustment lever with a bearing point at which the adjustment lever is rotatably supported, and - an adjustment drive for rotating the adjustment lever about its bearing point, - the adjustment lever having a coupling point at which the adjustment lever is operatively connected to the holder element for moving the same, and having an adjustment point at which the adjustment lever is operatively connected to the adjustment drive, - the bearing point of the adjustment lever is arranged between the coupling point thereof and the adjustment point thereof and the distance L2 from the adjustment point to the bearing point and the distance L1 from the coupling point to the bearing point define an adjustment lever reduction ratio of the pivot path of the adjustment lever at the adjustment point thereof to the pivot path of the adjustment lever at the coupling point thereof and - the mounting element comprises a bearing arm extending towards the holder element and having a pivot bearing for the bearing point of the adjustment lever, the pivot bearing of the bearing arm being located outside the region occupied by the parallelogram guiding unit.