Re: Anyone care to explain this?

You kill me ss.

This is pure speculation, but If I were to continue the research I would look into not the genes that are responsible for the formation of the eye for the genes (because it is clear they can be activated), but into gene regulation.

This is an example of evolutionary conservation, it would not be necessary to delete the whole gene if you could just prevent RNA from recognizing a start site.

I would also look into apotoptic regulation. Since the eyes are present during embryonic development. The authors write:"evolutionary changes in an inductive signal from the lens are involved in cave fish eye degeneration."

The mis-regulation of apotopsis occurs in humans too and its failure is seen in children born with webbed hands/feet, our hands start of as fish like paddles - true to our evolutionary heritage.