GAINESVILLE, Fla. — It is hard to look Stuart Muller in the eye.

Instead, most people stare at the University of Florida agricultural and biological engineering doctoral student’s wiry, almost 2.6-inch long white eyelash.

He hopes the hair on his left upper eyelid will give him the Guinness World Record for the world’s longest eyelash.

The current record, held by Jolie Matzes as of July 2006, is 6.4 centimeters (2.52 inches), according to an e-mail sent to Muller by Guinness World Records.

He only has to turn in the proper paperwork to the fact-finding agency to clinch the record.

Muller attributes his ability to grow a hair so long to a "mutant follicle" on his eyelid.

"It’s such an idiosyncratic thing," Muller said, "people start to associate me as the guy with the freaky eyelash."

Muller, who has been growing the eyelash for more than a year, said he first got the idea while flipping through "The Guinness Book of World Records" with friends, and he realized he could realistically break the record.

But over the year, he said, the greatest hazard in trying to break the world record has been helpful strangers.