A varifocal liquid lens includes a body filled with two different fluids separated by an interface of a variable curvature across a clear aperture of the varifocal liquid lens. At least one of the first or second fluids is birefringent, such that a refractive index difference between the first and second fluids and resulting optical power of the varifocal liquid lens is dependent on polarization of impinging light. At a first light polarization, the first and second fluids may be matched in refractive index, while at a second, orthogonal light polarization, the first and second fluids may be mismatched in refractive index, whereby the first interface between the first and second fluids may have a variable, non-zero optical power for the second polarization while having a substantially non-variable, zero optical power for the first polarization of light.