A method for polishing lens surfaces, in which a) prior to the polishing process, for the purpose of determining an abrasion profile, at least one point of a workpiece is polished by means of a polishing tool to be used, using at least one pre-defined parameter; b) the polishing abrasion thus achieved on the workpiece side is determined by measuring; c) on the basis of the abrasion profile, at least one parameter is set for a subsequent polishing process, and the polishing process is completed at least partially. A method for polishing lens surfaces, in which the polishing point is places at least outside of the workpiece centre at a distance a from a plane which is tensioned by the tool spindle axis and the workpiece spindle axis. The invention furthermore relates to a lens polishing machine in which at least one movement axis is provided, by means of which a distance a between the polishing point and a plane which is tensioned by the tool spindle axis and the workpiece spindle axis can be set and/or changed.