The basis of various laser-biological tissue interaction studies such as photothermal, actinic, and photomechanical effect studies is the accurate description of the light distribution in biological tissues under laser irradiation, and the effective methods to accurately describe the light distribution are various mathematical models and simulation methods. Therefore, the paper systematically summarizes the main theories, research models, and quantitative analysis methods that describe the light distribution in the biotissue at home and abroad. At the same time, the horizontal comparison and analysis of the application scope, advantages, and limitations of each method model is carried out. We longitudinally review the theoretical basis of most simulations and experiments, and focus on summarizing the latest theoretical breakthroughs and solutions of practical problems proposed by domestic and foreign scholars, so as to facilitate readers to track the frontier quickly and comprehensively. Finally, we point out some deficiencies in the current research in this field and make a certain prospect for the future development direction.