i know, i hate it. i don't think i'm autistic, at least i don't have the symptoms myself, but i hate this confrontational obsession a lot of down south dudes have about making eye contact. a firm handshake i can endorse, a pat on the back is no problem for me, but i just can't stand to look in the eyes even of people i feel totally comfortable with for too long. it's such a strong stimulus, sets off all kinds of brain systems pulling me in tons of different directions at once. it's not that i'm phobic, it's wonderful in some situations, like with a girlfriend i was with for seven years or a favorite pet. it just dials up whatever emotion i feel towards that person to a ridiculous degree. i've gotten better at keeping eye contact, and it's helped me get along much better in social situations, but it's very very uncomfortable. even in positive circumstances it's not something i can keep for long. (i also get something called "frission", which feels very similar to when you're making eye contact with a person you like or love. a lot of people like but it's kind of overwhelming. i can't listen to music in public for example or i get too engrossed in it, bobbing my head along like some cringe well.. autist) i think most people with this problem focus on something else, like the person's forehead or nose, which is a lot easier to deal with. but you have to look at the eyes, there's no other way to really read the cues properly.  oh and just so you know what you're dealing with and in the spirit of the thread, mine's 138.
United States