Systems and methods for adaptive multiple input multiple output (MIMO) optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (O-OFDM) visible light communication (VLC) involving adaptively choosing modulation type, modulation order, MIMO configuration, and MIMO type. A receiver estimates channel information, and based on the channel information, an adaptive controller makes a selection of transmission mode and provides feedback to a transmitter, which uses a set of transmission parameters indicated in the transmission mode feedback. MIMO O-OFDM VLC provides diversity gain (i.e., higher link reliability or better coverage range) and/or multiplexing gain (i.e., higher data rate).