Multiple scattering is an important factor for measuring water optical characteristic parameters (including absorption coefficient a, attenuation coefficient c, diffuse attenuation coefficient Kd) by lidar. Meanwhile, field of view (FOV) is a key parameter which affects the proportion of multiple scattering in receiving echoes. A parameter of FOV (θrcvr) is introduced into the inversion method of water optical properties by ocean lidar based on the Mclean-Walker model. In the cases of shipboard, airborne and spaceborne platforms at the height of 10, 300, 7×105 m respectively, scattering echoes are calculated according to the lidar theory. The inversion of water optical parameters is analyzed with multiple scattering factor under different FOVs. It is shown that assuming the incident laser of highly collimated, θrcvr and detecting height H are critical factors which influence inversion results in the method for obtaining water optical parameters from laser scattering echo. It is worth noting that the physical meaning of the lidar attenuation coefficient Klidar changes with the factors. Klidar can be considered as c when θrcvr is approximately 0. And Klidar gradually approaches Kd with the increase of θrcvr×H.