Provided are an optical element including a first optically-anisotropic layer consisting of a cured layer of a composition including a first liquid crystal compound, in which the first optically-anisotropic layer has 0.24 or more of a refractive index anisotropy Δn550 which is measured with light having a wavelength of 550 nm, the first optically-anisotropic layer has a first liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from the first liquid crystal compound continuously changes rotationally in at least one in-plane direction, and in the first liquid crystal alignment pattern, in a case where a length Λ over which the direction of the optical axis rotates 180° in a plane is defined as a single period, the length Λ of the single period is 1.6 μm or less; a method for forming a photo-alignment pattern; and a method for manufacturing an optical element.