Atopic cataract was observed in 19 (12.4%) of 153 Japanese adolescent and young adult patients with atopic dermatitis. Of the 19 patients, 4 had gross cataract which produced impairment of vision, and 15 had incipient cataract which was not accompanied by visual impairment. Cataracts occurred most frequently in patients with severe atopic dermatitis. Cataract development had no relationship to the distribution of skin lesions, clinical course of dermatitis, personal history of respiratory atopy, serum IgE levels, or concomitant ichthyosis vulgaris.