A device and a method for deflecting a beam of light. The device is developed together with: an adjustable deflection device; a closed-loop control unit, which is designed to generate an actuating signal by which the deflection device is controlled in a periodic movement for scanning a solid angle region with the aid of a beam of light deflected by the deflection device; and a detector device, which is designed to detect an impingement or a missing impingement of the scanning beam of light on the detector device, and to generate a measuring signal based thereon; the closed-loop control unit furthermore being designed to adapt the actuating signal based on at least the measuring signal.