Abstract: Underwater optical communication, compared with underwater radio frequency and acoustic communication, offers distinct advantages including high data transmission rates, low latency, and strong anti-interference capabilities, establishing it as a rapidly growing research focus. However, the complex underwater environment introduces challenges such as wavefront distortion during optical signal transmission, significantly compromising communication stability. Adaptive optics technology, by performing real-time wavefront correction, effectively mitigates these issues and enhances transmission performance. This paper reviews recent advances in adaptive optics for underwater optical communication, focusing on the effects of turbulent environments on optical signal transmission, the application of Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors and sensor-less approaches, and the advantages of machine learning-based wavefront correction techniques. A comparative analysis of the performance of various correction methods in practical applications is presented, alongside a discussion of current research limitations. Finally, potential future directions are explored, including cross-media transmission, real-time correction, and multi-modal integration, offering insights into advancing the field further