A method for calibrating a laser transmitter includes (a) detecting an eye diagram of an output from the laser transmitter, (b) determining if the eye diagram is acceptable, (c) if the eye diagram is not acceptable, changing a value of a control signal in the laser transmitter, wherein the control signal sets an amplitude characteristic of a limiting amplifier coupled to a laser driver in the laser transmitter, and (d) repeating steps (a), (b), and (c) until the eye diagram is acceptable.