(NEXSTAR)-- For weeks, professionals have actually been warning individuals not to take a look at the total solar eclipse without the correct safety equipment. Did you listen?

Taking a look at the sun-- during an eclipse or any other time-- without certified seeing glasses can trigger irreversible eye damage.

" The lenses of your eye … … can concentrate the rays of the sun so strongly as to cause an immediate burn. The exact same result will happen in the retina and produce basically a hole in your vision, which in some cases can be long-term," described Dr. Russell Van Gelder with the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

The eclipse is only safe to witness with the naked eye during totality, or the period of overall darkness when the moon entirely covers the sun.

If you didn't listen to the specialists' advice, you may suffer from solar eye damage, or solar retinopathy.

Signs of solar eye damage include blurred vision, sensitivity and color distortion. Straight after looking at the sun, you might see temporary "floaters" or "flashers" in your vision, according to Cleveland Clinic. Your eyes may also feel aching or painful.

In mild cases, you might experience watery eyes, headaches and sensitivity to light. In more major cases, signs consist of fuzzy vision, eye pain, a blind area in vision, straight lines appearing distorted and rounded, or specific items appearing smaller sized than they actually are.

Missed the solar eclipse? Here's your next opportunity to see totality

Moderate cases can heal on their own, within one to 6 months, states Cleveland Clinic. Serious damage may be permanent.

You ought to make a visit with an eye doctor if you think you may have solar retinopathy.

In one case of eclipse eye damage, a female who saw the 2017 eclipse without adequate protection went to Mount Sinai's New York Eye and Ear Infirmary complaining of a black area in her vision. Doctors discovered retinal damage that corresponded to the eclipse's shape.

"The dark area she was describing was in the shape of a crescent," stated Dr. Avnish Deobhakta, a Mount Sinai eye doctor.

There's no set rule concerning the duration of a look that can result in irreversible damage. Severity varies based upon cloudiness, air pollution and an individual's viewpoint.

Physicians state looking at a solar eclipse for even a couple of seconds vulnerable isn't worth the risk. There are reports of solar retinopathy after every solar eclipse, and U.S. optometrist saw lots of additional gos to after the one in 2017.

The Associated Press added to this report.