1. A method of initially acquiring tap weights for a finite impulse response (FIR) filter used to correct distortion in an optical communication receiver, the method comprising: acquiring and storing a series of samples of a received optical signal, the series of samples being acquired in an order in time; applying a blind optimization algorithm to the series of samples to obtain first estimated tap weights for the FIR filter in order to equalize the received optical signal, wherein the blind optimization algorithm is applied to the series of samples alternately in the order that the series of samples is acquired and in a reverse order that the series of samples is acquired in a digital processing system; activating a clock recovery system in the optical communication receiver based on the first estimated tap weights to remove a clock offset for subsequent samples; after the clock recovery system is activated, acquiring and storing a further series of samples of the received optical signal, wherein the clock offset is removed from the further series of samples; and applying the blind optimization algorithm to the further series of samples to obtain second estimated tap weights having an accuracy higher than the first estimated tap weights.