Abstract: The present invention relates to an article comprising a substrate having a main surface coated with a coating, part of which at least is mesoporous and has a refractive index profile with optical function, whose variation is imposed by the mesopore content and/or the filling ratio of the mesopores. The profile may be such that the refractive index varies depending on the distance to a given axis, or such that the refractive index variation is monotone, decreasing along any axis which is perpendicular to the surface of the substrate underlying the mesoporous part of said coating and oriented away from the substrate. The present invention also relates to methods for making said article, which differ depending on the technique from which the refractive index profile is created. The invention is applicable to ophthalmic optics.