Stereo　light　microscope　(SLM)　simulates　stereo　imaging　principle　of　human　eyes.　Microscopic　vision　system　based　on　SLM　has　become　an　important　visual　tool　for　micro　measurement,　micromanipulation,　and　microinjection.　We　develop　a　micromanipulation　system　based　on　SLM　and　present　an　image　distortion　correction　method.　We　mainly　correct　two　kinds　of　image　distortions:　lateral　and　vertical　distortion.　Distortion　correction　consists　of　two　steps.　First,　a　linear　fitting　algorithm　for　each　row　or　column　of　target　points　is　developed,　and　the　fitting　errors　are　calculated.　If　the　fitting　errors　are　smaller　than　a　given　threshold,　the　linear　fitting　results　are　kept　and　used.　Otherwise　polynomial　fitting　procedure　will　be　used.　Second,　the　parallelism　of　straight　lines　is　corrected.　The　results　show　that　a　line　in　world　coordinate　frame　(WCF)　is　not　necessarily　a　straight　line　in　image　coordinate　frame　(ICF),　or　two　parallel　lines　in　WCF　may　be　not　parallel　in　ICF.　Distortion　correction　can　restore　the　parallel　and　linear　relationship.　For　distorted　left　and　right　images,　the　magnitude　of　distortion　exceeds　6　pixels　and　4　pixels　in　the　horizontal　direction,　and　1.2　pixels　and　1.7　pixels　in　the　vertical　direction,　respectively.　After　corrected,　for　left　and　right　image,　distortion　can　be　reduced　to　0.8　pixels　and　0.7　pixels　in　the　horizontal　direction,　and　0.96　pixels　and　1.3　pixels　in　the　vertical　direction,　respectively.　The　results　show　that　distortion　parameters　obtained　from　the　proposed　method　can　effectively　correct　distorted　images.　Microsc.　Res.　Tech.　79:162-177,　2016.　(c)　2016　Wiley　Periodicals,　Inc.