A polarization independent tunable lens comprising a stack of a first optical device and a second optical device, wherein at least the first optical device comprises: - a first electrode layer; - a second electrode layer provided at a distance (d) from the first electrode layer, which first and second electrode layer (8, 9) being light transmitting, wherein the first electrode layer extends substantially parallel to the second electrode layer, and in between of which are present: - a diffractive optical element adjacent to the first electrode layer and being a Fresnel lens structure comprising a first sloped surface in a center of the Fresnel lens structure, which is surrounded by a plurality of annular, further sloped surfaces, which first and further sloped surfaces each having a slope angle relative to the first electrode layer, and are covered with a first alignment layer; - a further alignment layer arranged adjacent to the second electrode; - a liquid crystalline material filling a space between said first alignment layer on the first and the further sloped surfaces and said further alignment layer adjacent to the second electrode layer and comprising liquid crystalline LC-molecules that are vertically aligned in an off state where an electric field is not applied to the liquid crystalline material; wherein the LC-molecules at an interface with said first alignment layer have a pretilt with at least one applied pretilt angle (α) in at least one alignment direction and an absolute tilt angle (β), said applied pretilt angle (α) being relative to the normal of the sloped surface at a location of an LC molecule on the sloped surface, and said absolute tilt angle (β) being relative to the normal of the first electrode layer, and wherein the further alignment layer has been pretreated for alignment in a direction anti-parallel to said alignment direction; wherein said at least one applied pretilt angle (α) is larger than said slope angle and therewith compensates for the slope angle of the said first and further sloped surfaces by orienting said LC-molecules to align, in an on state where an electric field is applied to the liquid crystalline material, such that substantially all LC-molecules are oriented such that projections (Npxy) of the LC-molecules (Np) on the first electrode layer include an angle (θ) transverse to the alignment direction within a range of 60 degrees from the alignment direction - a first electrode layer; - a second electrode layer provided at a distance (d) from the first electrode layer, which first and second electrode layer (8, 9) being light transmitting, wherein the first electrode layer extends substantially parallel to the second electrode layer, and in between of which are present: - a diffractive optical element adjacent to the first electrode layer and being a Fresnel lens structure comprising a first sloped surface in a center of the Fresnel lens structure, which is surrounded by a plurality of annular, further sloped surfaces, which first and further sloped surfaces each having a slope angle relative to the first electrode layer, and are covered with a first alignment layer; - a further alignment layer arranged adjacent to the second electrode; - a liquid crystalline material filling a space between said first alignment layer on the first and the further sloped surfaces and said further alignment layer adjacent to the second electrode layer and comprising liquid crystalline LC-molecules that are vertically aligned in an off state where an electric field is not applied to the liquid crystalline material; wherein the LC-molecules at an interface with said first alignment layer have a pretilt with at least one applied pretilt angle (α) in at least one alignment direction and an absolute tilt angle (β), said applied pretilt angle (α) being relative to the normal of the sloped surface at a location of an LC molecule on the sloped surface, and said absolute tilt angle (β) being relative to the normal of the first electrode layer, and wherein the further alignment layer has been pretreated for alignment in a direction anti-parallel to said alignment direction; wherein said at least one applied pretilt angle (α) is larger than said slope angle and therewith compensates for the slope angle of the said first and further sloped surfaces by orienting said LC-molecules to align, in an on state where an electric field is applied to the liquid crystalline material, such that substantially all LC-molecules are oriented such that projections (Npxy) of the LC-molecules (Np) on the first electrode layer include an angle (θ) transverse to the alignment direction within a range of 60 degrees from the alignment direction