An actuator comprises an electroactive polymer layer (402) and stretchable electrode structures (410, 411) that are disposed on each side of the electroactive polymer layer (402). A softer passive layer (401) is secured to one of the stretchable electrode structures (410, 411). When compressed transversally by the stretchable electrode structures (410, 411), the electroactive polymer layer (402) will expand tangentially and the actuator will relax into a shape wherein the interior of the electroded region is substantially parallel to the plane of the device, while a substantial portion of the area increase is absorbed by out-of- plane bends arising at the electrode boundary (duck mode). The invention can be embodied as optically reflective or refractive devices with variable geometry.