a method for optical stress analysis comprises the steps of directing an incident beam of polarized light to the sample to be analyzed and analyzing a light bundle exiting the sample in two detection channels extending perpendicular to one another with respect to the polarization direction , providing that the incident beam is elliptically polarized , carrying out the elliptical polarization with an elliptic shape having a comparatively large ratio of the large principal axis to the small principal axis , the direction of rotation of the elliptical polarization of the incident beam changing periodically and using two alternative states of the direction of rotation for each measurement process , adjusting the detection channels which extend perpendicular to one another corresponding to the position of the principal axes of the ellipse and carrying out the difference between two measurements consecutively with the same beam intensity of the incident beam and the same ratio of principal axes , but with opposite direction of rotations of the elliptical polarization , being given by the two detection channels . an arrangement in accordance with the method is also disclosed .