Researchers at the National University of Singapore took spinach, ripped out its chloroplasts, shook loose the thylakoid grana, packaged them in tiny capsules, and squirted the result into mouse eyes. They named it LEAF. Cute. I'll give them that, then take it back, because the acronym stands for "light-reaction enriched thylakoid NADPH-foundry," which sounds like something I'd skim on the way out.
The drops treat dry eye. After five days, the mice were doing about as well as mice on the existing drug. So we've reinvented eye drops, with extra steps and a salad.
David Tai Leong's headline reassurance is that patients "won't have green eyes like the Incredible Hulk." A sentence nobody needed until he said it. The Mid-Continental Board of Things You Shouldn't Have To Promise estimates 71.3% of prospective patients had not, in fact, been worried about Hulk eyes until that quote ran.
Human trials are pending. I won't be checking back, but I respect the spinach.
Based on the original article "Scientists got mouse eyes to perform photosynthesis — and no, they didn't turn green".
