The invention comprises an optical arrangement for illumination purposes, in particular for a stepped lens spotlight, comprising a stepped lens with a light-diffusing element, in particular a diffusing screen, in which the diffusing screen is arranged in a first region and the stepped lens is arranged in a second region, and in which, with the change in the shape of the light impinging on the optical arrangement and/or the size of the light illuminating the optical arrangement, it is possible to set the aperture angle of the light emerging from the optical arrangement, in particular between two limit values, a smaller .alpha..sub.Sp and a larger .alpha..sub.F1.