Exhibit 99.2


                            CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
                             18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
                             AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
                  SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

         In connection with the Annual Report of Cole National Corporation (the
"Company") on Form 10-K for the period ended February 1, 2003 as filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the "Report"), each of
the undersigned officers of the Company certifies, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. ss.
1350, as adopted pursuant to ss. 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, to
such officer's knowledge:

          (1)  The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a)
               or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

          (2)  The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all
               material respects, the financial condition and results of
               operations of the Company as of the dates and for the periods
               expressed in the Report.


Date: May 16, 2003                        /s/ Jeffrey A. Cole
                                          ------------------------------
                                          Name: Jeffrey A. Cole
                                          Title:  Chief Executive Officer

                                          /s/ Lawrence E. Hyatt
                                          ------------------------------
                                          Name: Lawrence E. Hyatt
                                          Title:  Chief Financial Officer



         The foregoing certification is being furnished solely pursuant to 18
U.S.C. ss. 1350 and is not being filed as part of the Report or as a separate
disclosure document.