Variable focus point lens

A variable focal point lens includes a transparent tank, which comprises a transparent enclosure containing a transparent flexible membrane separating the inner volume of the transparent tank into an upper tank portion and a lower tank portion. The upper tank portion and the lower tank portion contain liquids having different indices of refraction. The transparent flexible membrane is electrostatically displaced to change the thicknesses of the first tank portion and the second tank portion in the path of the light, thereby shifting the focal point of the lens axially and/or laterally. The electrostatic displacement of the membrane may be effected by a fixed charge in the membrane and an array of enclosure-side conductive structures on the transparent enclosure, or an array of membrane-side conductive structures on the transparent membrane and an array of enclosure-side conductive structures.