High-resolution optical imaging of target has important application value in many optoelectronic engineering fields. However, in many target observation scenarios, light waves are transmitted through the atmosphere, which leads to the degradation of imaging quality. Obtaining high-quality images by overcoming complex atmospheric interference has always attracted the attention of international scholars. Especially in recent years, with the advancement of laser technology, due to the advantages of lidar in distance resolution and three-dimensional imaging, active imaging technology has also made great progress, in which the influence and correction of the atmosphere is also a problem that cannot be ignored. The impact of the atmosphere on imaging mainly includes two aspects: atmospheric turbulence and atmospheric suspended particles. Firstly, the impact of these two aspects on imaging is analyzed, and then some main techniques for eliminating atmosphericinfluences to obtain high-quality images are briefly introduced. At last, combined with long-term studies of the research group in related fields, several aspects that deserve attention are summarized and prospected.