The invention relates to a device and a method for optoelectronically identifying the displacement and/or position of an object. According to the method, a transmitter element emits light, which is received by at least one receiver element and the light emitted from the transmitter element is scattered by an object, wherein an optical guide is provided between the transmitter element and the receiver element. This aim of the invention is to fulfill the prerequisites for a key construction, which can be operated below a sealed surface. To achieve this, the optical guide includes light coupling means for coupling in the illumination that has been scattered by the object and previously emitted by the optical guide.