There is provided an optical element which is an apodized filter capable of externally controlling an optical characteristic and stable over a long period. An optical element 100 is an optical element including: a transparent electrolyte layer 110; a pair of solid electrochromic layers which sandwiches the transparent electrolyte layer 110; and further a pair of transparent conductive films 140 which sandwiches a pair of the solid electrochromic layer, wherein a pair of the solid electrochromic layers is constituted by a reduction coloring-type solid electrochromic layer 120 and an oxidation coloring-type solid electrochromic layer 130 opposing each other, the optical element including: an apodized characteristic in which transmittance increases gradually from an outer periphery toward a center in a plane orthogonal to a thickness direction of the transparent electrolyte layer 110.