Gazing at the solar eclipse without heeding the safety warnings from experts may cost you.

Permanent eye damage can occur within seconds, according to local eye doctors.

That means if you looked up at the eclipse on Monday without protective lenses, even just for a few seconds, you could be at risk for vision problems.

Even if you only saw a partial eclipse, the sun's ultraviolet rays can pose health risks without the special-purpose solar filters glasses.

Retina damage often heals, according to Dr. Max Schlesinger, ophthalmologist at the Westchester Medical Center.

But it can also turn into a serious matter.

"For the most part, things can recover, however, not for everybody, some people can be left with a permanent blind spot, that's why really for this condition the mainstay is prevention," said Dr. Schlesinger.

Check in with a doctor if you're experiencing a headache, blurred vision or have dark spots and color changes over the next few days.

Those few symptoms can be signs of retina damage from the sun.