AIMS: To study the refractive outcome of cataract surgery employing IOLMaster biometry data and to compare it with that of applanation ultrasonography in a prospective study of 100 eyes that underwent phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation. METHODS: The Holladay formula using IOLMaster data was employed for the prediction of implanted intraocular lenses (IOLs). One month after cataract surgery the refractive outcome was determined. Preoperative applanation ultrasonography data were used retrospectively to calculate the IOL prediction error. The two different biometry methods are compared. RESULTS: 100 patients, 75.42 (SD 7.58) years of age, underwent phacoemulsification with IOL implantation. The optical axial length obtained by the IOLMaster was significantly longer (p<0.001, Student's t test) than the axial length by applanation ultrasound, 23.36 (SD 0.85) mm v 22.89 (0.83) mm. The mean postoperative spherical equivalent was 0.00 (0.40) D and the mean prediction error -0.15 (0.38) D. The mean absolute prediction error was 0.29 (0.27) D. 96% of the eyes were within 1 D from the intended refraction and 93% achieved unaided visual acuity of 6/9 or better. The Holladay formula performed better than the SRK/T, SRK II, and Hoffer Q formulas. Applanation ultrasonography after optimisation of the surgeon factor yielded a greater absolute prediction error than the optimised IOLMaster biometry, 0.41 (0.38) D v 0.25 (0.27) D, with 93% of the eyes within 1 D from the predicted refraction. CONCLUSION: IOLMaster optical biometry improves the refractive results of selected cataract surgery patients and is more accurate than applanation ultrasound biometry.