A lighting device can have a simple configuration which can be formed compactly in the direction of its optical axis in particular, and with a light weight. The lighting device can also have a functional, three-dimensional innovative appearance for the sake of enhanced merchantability and novelty. The lighting device can include a light source and a projection lens which is situated so that its source-side focus lies near the light source and its optical axis generally coincides with that of the light source. The projection lens can be a distribution control lens of convex form, having an exit surface shaped aspherically so that the direction of emission is continuously refracted into specified directions with respect to the angle of incidence from the focal position.