The part about a photosensitive are is not so surprising. Oversimplifying, the retina is a part of the brain that goes out and become photosensitive, in particular during the development it's always connected to the brain. It's not like a camera that grows separately and then get connected by a micro USB. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_development

The part about the lens is more strange. The cornea is made of tissue that is not from the brain. My guess is that it's a bad interpretation in the press article.