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                                                                   Exhibit 10.58

December 15, 1999


Mr. William P. Lahiff, Jr.
9973 Royal Valley Drive
North Royalton, OH 44133

Dear Bill:

We are pleased to offer you the opportunity to become VICE PRESIDENT, CONTROLLER
for Cole National Corporation, reporting to the CFO.

The following highlights the terms and conditions of our offer. Full details of
the benefit programs are provided in a separate mailing.

1.   EFFECTIVE DATE: December 30, 1999.

2.   SALARY: Your initial salary will be $150,000 payable in accordance with the
     bi-weekly payroll schedule.

3.   OPERATING BONUS: You will participate in a Management Incentive Plan for
     Fiscal Year 2000 that could pay a bonus of up to fifty (50%) percent of
     your annualized salary, the last 10% of such bonus being paid in restricted
     Cole National Corporation stock, if pre-set Cole Optical and Cole National
     profit contribution goals are achieved. For the 2000 fiscal year, you will
     be eligible for a full year bonus and guaranteed a minimum bonus of
     $50,000, payable in April, 2001.

4.   STOCK OPTIONS: We will request that the Board of Directors of Cole National
     Corporation grant you an option to purchase 5,000 shares of Cole National
     Corporation stock, at a per share price equal to the closing stock price on
     the date of grant. The options granted to you will vest at 25% per year
     from the date of the grant.

5.   AUTOMOBILE: You may choose a company automobile with a value of up to
     $34,500 or a cash allowance in place of a company provided automobile. The
     cash allowance will be based on an average monthly lease for an automobile
     costing $34,500.

6.   MERIT INCREASE: Your salary will be reviewed annually, and adjustments,
     when they occur, will be effective in April, beginning with April 1, 2001.


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7.   GROUP MEDICAL PLAN: If you elect, you and your eligible dependents will be
     eligible for group coverage provided by the Prudential Insurance Company of
     America or Cigna after completion of ninety (90) days of continuous
     service. In the meantime, we will offer to pay your COBRA health insurance
     premiums during the 90-day waiting period.

8.   TERM LIFE INSURANCE/ACCIDENTAL DEATH AND DISMEMBERMENT INSURANCE (AD&D):
     You would be eligible to participate in Cole Vision's Life Insurance
     Program, which provides a coverage at no cost to you in an amount equal to
     two (2) times your annual base salary. You may elect to purchase additional
     amounts of term insurance equal to one (1) or (2) times your base salary
     for a nominal cost to you.

9.   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.

10.  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.

11.  DENTAL: Cole Vision offers a Dental Plan to eligible full-time employees,
     after ninety (90) days of employment. CIGNA Insurance Company features
     cleaning and examinations at no charge and other procedures at very low
     rates when using CIGNA dentists provide the plan.

12.  TRAVEL ACCIDENT PLAN: You would be eligible for this benefit upon the
     commencement of your employment.

13.  401(K) SAVINGS PLAN: You would be eligible for participation after one year
     of service. Pre-tax contributions to the pay are at the employee's expense;
     however, Cole National has made a discretionary matching contribution to
     the plan for each of the last four years equaling 15% of the employee's
     contribution since 1996. Merrill Lynch administers the plan and Cole
     National pays all administrative expenses.

14.  PENSION PLAN: You would be eligible for participation after one (1) year of
     employment and vested in the plan after five (5) years of service.

15.  VACATION: You will be eligible for three (3) weeks vacation in 2000.


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16.  TERMINATION/NON-COMPETE AGREEMENT: A letter to be signed upon your
     acceptance of employment has been provided. Please note the terms with
     respect to the activities you would be prohibited from participating in for
     a period of twelve (12) months after the termination of your employment. In
     return, should the Company without cause terminate your employment, you
     will be entitled to receive a continuation of your then annual base salary
     for a period of 12 months following such termination. Any salary received
     from new employment will offset this payment. In addition, you would be
     eligible to receive outplacement benefits.

17.  EMPLOYMENT AT WILL: NOTHING contained in this offer letter is intended to
     create a fixed or contractual employment term between you and the Company
     and you understand and acknowledge that if you accept this offer, you are
     and will continue to be an employee at will, that your employment with the
     Company can be terminated with or without cause and with or without notice,
     at any time at the option of either you or the Company.

Bill, we believe you have the talent, leadership and style to make an immediate
contribution to our company. I would be happy to discuss any details of this
offer with you personally. I look forward to hearing from you soon. If you
accept this offer, please sign the enclosed copy of this letter, as well as,
both signed copies of the Termination/Non-Compete Agreement, and return them to
me in the enclosed envelope.

Sincerely,


Patricia M. Luzier
Sr. VP, Human Resources
& Process Improvement

Enclosures

Agreed to and acknowledged the  20th day of December, 1999.

/s/ William P. Lahiff, Jr.
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Signature

/jls