Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) plays an important role in atmospheric visibility, radiation balance and climate change. Systematic study on the influence of different environmental factors on the optical properties of SOA is a frontier of atmospheric science. Field observation is an important way to understand the optical properties of SOA, and in recent years, the development of new observation instruments and models makes the understanding of optical properties of SOA more in-depth. On the other hand, by controlling specific variables to simulate the generation process of SOA under different conditions, laboratory research deepens the understanding of optical characteristics of SOA essentially. The review mainly focuses on the research of optical properties of SOA generated by gas-phase oxidation and multiphase process in recent years, and analyzes the influence of aging process on the SOA optical properties, as well as the comparison and connectionbetween field and laboratory results.