BACKGROUND: To determine the usefulness of preoperative Lotmar interferometry to predict visual acuity recovery after surgery for epimacular membrane. Patients and methods: From 1999 to 2001, thirty pseudophakic eyes that underwent surgery for removal of epimacular membrane were examined prospectively. Visual acuity (VA) was recorded with the ETDRS chart before surgery and 6 months or more after (mean follow-up: 7.5 months). Lotmar interferometry was performed before surgery and its result was compared with the VA measured after surgery. RESULTS: The mean preoperative VA was 0.4 - 3 (20/55). The Lotmar VA (mean: 0.5, 20/40) was lower than the final postoperative VA (mean: 0.66, 20/30), p < 0.001. The Lotmar VA was found within one ETDRS line of the final postoperative VA in 10 cases (33 %). The Lotmar VA was > 1 line lower than the final postoperative VA in 17 cases (57 %) and was 1 - 3 lines higher in 3 cases (10 %). CONCLUSIONS: Lotmar interferometry tends to underestimate the final postoperative VA after surgery for epimacular membrane. A low value does not allow any relevant prediction. A high value is interesting since the risk to have a false-positive is low.