We present here an optimal recursion procedure for reconstructing images of remote objects. The approach proposed has been developed, using the statistical method of maximum likelihood, and provides for reconstructing at the presence of phase distortions of a signal in the turbulent atmosphere and of the additive background noise at the input of an optical receiver. It is shown that an optimal algorithm can be realized using an adaptive optical system (AOS) based on the wave front generator of a heterodyne type. It is also shown that in contrast to traditional AOSs, the AOS optical arrangement should necessarily include an amplitude corrector, in addition to phase corrector and wave front generator. The amplitude corrector provides for improvement of the accuracy of estimation of the phase distortions in the presence of noises. The potentialities of the optical procedure are shown to be such that no principle need in using an additional reference source occurs.