Patent ID: 7582336

Claim:
A method of producing an optical element which includes a base material having light transmittance and a functional layer containing a functional substance and laminated on a surface of the base material and in which a state of light passing through the functional layer is changed in accordance with the functional substance, the method comprising: a coating step of coating the surface of the base material with a functional layer composition liquid containing the functional substance to form a coating film; a baking step of baking the base material having the coating film formed on its surface to form the functional layer in which a functional layer-covering layer is formed to cover the functional layer and a light diffusion layer for diffusing light that has passed through the functional layer is formed in a direction from a surface layer of the functional layer-covering layer toward an interface between the functional layer-covering layer and the functional layer; and a covering layer removing step of removing at least the light diffusion layer out of the functional layer-covering layer to be formed in the baking step.