It is also a signal in the west that a woman is interested in a male to approach her and strike up a conversation. Some males take advantage of, or misinterpret an accidental glance.
https://theartofcharm.com/flirting-and-attraction/eye-contact-attraction/
According to that article it is a way of making a woman interested in you. So be sure to do it with an unavailable facial expression.
However, people also make eye contact when they are judging, and subtly want the recipient to know, when it is coupled with a deadpan expression so be careful not to do that also. Or sometimes they think you are wierd. Also, it can also be a display of aggression when it is to the same sex.
http://changingminds.org/techniques/body/parts_body_language/eyes_body_language.htm
"Long eye contact
Eye contact longer than normal can have several different meanings.
Eye contact often increases significantly when we are listening, and especially when we are paying close attention to what the other person is saying. Less eye contact is used when talking, particularly by people who are visual thinkers as they stare into the distance or upwards as they 'see' what they are talking about.
We also look more at people we like and like people who look at us more. When done with doe eyes and smiles, it is a sign of attraction. Lovers will stare into each others eyes for a long period. Attraction is also indicated by looking back and forth between the two eyes, as if we are desperately trying to determine if they are interested in us too.
An attraction signal that is more commonly used by women is to hold the other person's gaze for about three seconds, Then look down for a second or two and then look back up again (to see if they have taken the bait). If the other person is still looking at them, they are rewarded with a coy smile or a slight widening of the eyes ('Yes, this message is for you!').
When done without blinking, contracted pupils and an immobile face, this can indicate domination, aggression and use of power. In such circumstances a staring competition can ensue, with the first person to look away admitting defeat.
Prolonged eye contact can be disconcerting. A trick to reduce stress from this is to look at the bridge of their nose. They will think you are still looking in their eyes.
Sometimes liars, knowing that low eye contact is a sign of lying, will over-compensate and look at you for a longer than usual period. Often this is done without blinking as they force themselves into this act. They may smile with the mouth, but not with the eyes as this is more difficult."
I aslo found the other cutures section in this article interesting.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_contact
"Pious
Muslims aspire to lower their
gaze and look at each other without sexual objectification. Japanese children are taught in school to direct their gaze at the region of their teacher's
Adam's apple or
tie knot. As adults, Japanese lower their eyes when speaking to a superior as a gesture of respect.
In many cultures, such as in
East Asia and Nigeria,
[20] it is respectful not to look the dominant person in the eye, but in
Western culture this can be interpreted as being "shifty-eyed", and the person judged badly because "he wouldn't look me in the eye"; references such as "shifty-eyed" can refer to suspicions regarding an individual's unrevealed intentions or thoughts.
[21] Nevertheless, the seeking of constant unbroken eye contact by the other participant in a conversation can often be considered overbearing or distracting by many even in western cultures, possibly on an
instinctive or subconscious level.
Some bodies of
parliamentary procedure ban eye contact between members when speaking.
[22]"
