Abstract: Given is an operating light, with one or several spotlights, each with a light source, that is shielded by a counter reflector in the direction of radiation. The stream of light is focused by the counter reflector and a reflector onto an optical system closing off the housing in the direction of radiation. To guarantee a homogeneous illumination of deeper surgical wounds also, the optical system is structured as a Fresnel lens made up of annular prisms that contain a dioptric central region and a catadioptric edge (rim) region. The slope of the flanks and the height of the annular prisms are dimensioned such that the light beams emanating from the Fresnel lens cut the optical axis at a distance that is all the greater the shorter the distance with which the light beams emanate from the Fresnel lens is away from the optical axis.