We present a systematic review of solid tunable lenses based on the Alvarez–Lohmann principle, which mainly focuses on the optimization, miniaturization, and integration of such solid tunable lenses in miniature applications. The progress of the modelling and design methods of such solid tunable lenses for optimum performance is summarized first. The development of various solid tunable lenses achieved using diverse driving mechanisms and different optimization methods is then illustrated by examples from current literature. The mechanisms, performance, and practicability of all these prototypes are presented in detail. The applications of such solid tunable lenses in miniature imaging systems are finally reviewed. Discussions of the problems and bottlenecks encountered in current research work and perspectives for future work in this field are given.