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                                                                   Exhibit 10.60

                              [COLE NATIONAL LOGO]

EXECUTIVE OFFICES

                                 March 23, 2000



Mr. Thomas Kaung
12 Pepper Ridge Road
Pepper Pike, OH   44124

Dear Tom:

         We are pleased to offer you the opportunity to become Executive Vice
President and Chief Financial Officer. You will report to me and play a
leadership role in working with Larry and me to reinvigorate our growth.

         The following highlights the terms of our offer:

         1.       EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon election as an officer by Board of
Directors.

         2.       SALARY: Your base salary will be $375,000 per year, payable in
accordance with the bi-weekly executive payroll schedule, starting with the
effective date.

         3.       OPERATING BONUS: You will participate in a Management
Incentive Plan as such program is in effect from time to time for senior
officers of Cole National Corporation. Your bonus, if any, for Fiscal Year 2000
will be based on the full $375,000.

         4.       STOCK OPTIONS: We will request that the Board of Directors of
Cole National Corporation grant you an option for 50,000 shares of Cole National
Corporation stock, at a per share price equal to the closing stock price on the
date of grant and another option for 50,000 shares at a per share exercise price
of $10.00. These options will have a two year vesting period with half of each
grant vesting at the end of the first year and the remainder at the end of the
second year. These options would be granted as of the date you are elected as an
officer by the Board.

         5.       MERIT INCREASE: Your salary will be reviewed and adjustments,
if any, will be made in the discretion of the CEO and Board.

         6.       AUTOMOBILE: You may choose a company automobile with a value
of up to $45,850.

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         7.       GROUP MEDICAL PLAN: If you elect, you and your eligible
dependents will be eligible to participate in the Cole Group coverage.
Additionally, if you do elect coverage, you will also be eligible to participate
in our MERP Executive Supplemental Plan while you are employed, details of which
we can provide at a later date. If you remain employed by the Company until the
Retirement Date (as defined below) and thereafter upon termination of your
employment for any reason (other than for Cause) or if prior to the Retirement
Date your employment is terminated by the Company without Cause or by you
following a change in control or for Good Reason (all as defined in the Stock
Option Agreement dated this date between you and the Company), the Company shall
provide you and your spouse to the extent reasonably possible with such group
medical benefits under its group medical plan as it then currently provides to
its employees generally at the same cost to you as it then charges to the
Company's employees until November 1, 2005. You will not then be entitled to
MERP.

         8.       SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLANS (SERP): You will not
participate in any of the Supplemental executive retirement plans of the Company
except for such benefits as you may have from your previous employment with the
Company.

         9.       TERM LIFE INSURANCE/ACCIDENTAL DEATH & DISMEMBERED INSURANCE
(AD&D): You will be eligible to participate in Cole National's life insurance
program, which provides a coverage at no cost to you in an amount equal to two
times your base salary. You may elect to purchase additional amounts of Term
Insurance equal to one or two times your base salary at your cost.

         10.      SHORT-TERM DISABILITY PLAN: After a six (6) month waiting
period, you would be eligible for benefits up to a maximum of thirteen (13)
weeks beginning with the first day of absence.

         11.      EXECUTIVE LONG-TERM DISABILITY PLAN: In accordance with the
terms of this plan, you would be eligible for a monthly benefit of up to sixty
(60%) percent of your monthly base salary, up to a maximum of fifteen thousand
dollars ($15,000) per month. You will be eligible to participate in this plan
following ninety (90) days of continuous employment. Benefits are payable after
a waiting period of ninety (90) days after the onset of disability.

         12.      DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN: You would be eligible to
participate in the Deferred Compensation Plan (DCP) after 90 days of continuous
service. This is a non-qualified compensation deferral plan that allows you to
defer up to 100% of your salary and/or bonus. The Company will match 10% of the
first 10% of your compensation contributed to the plan in Cole National Common
Stock after the end of each Plan year. Plan details will be sent to you upon
hire.

         13.      PENSION PLAN: Your participation in the Cole National Group
Retirement Plan will be governed by the terms of such plan..

         14.      VACATION: You will be eligible for four (4) weeks of vacation,
beginning in fiscal 2000.


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         15. RECRUITMENT RESPONSIBILITY: It is currently anticipated that you
will retire on February 1, 2003 or such other date as we shall mutually agree
("Retirement Date"). You acknowledge that one of your responsibilities shall be
to commence active recruitment for your successor not later than twelve (12)
months prior to your Retirement Date with the objective that the person so
selected will commence his/her employment six months prior to your Retirement
Date.

         16. TERMINATION/NON-COMPETE AGREEMENT: A letter to be signed in
connection with your acceptance of employment setting forth certain
noncompetition and termination provisions has been provided as a condition of
your employment.

                                   Sincerely,


                                   /s/Jeffrey A. Cole
                                   ------------------------------------
                                   Jeffrey A. Cole
                                   Chairman and Chief Executive Officer



Agreed to and acknowledged this  23  day of March, 2000.
                                ----


/s/Thomas T. S. Kaung
---------------------------------
Thomas T. S. Kaung


Enclosure:        Non-Compete Agreement