What are the causes of an optical migraine?

Ocular migraines are very rare and caused by tightening of the blood vessels that supply blood flow to the eye, according to WebMD. Ocular migraines can cause temporary blindness or visual distortion in one eye, typically lasting under five minutes. Ocular migraines are often confused with migraines with auras.

Migraines with auras also cause visual distortion, but the distortion occurs in both eyes instead of one, according to WebMD. Migraines with auras do not always cause a headache. People who are at a higher risk for ocular migraines are women, people under 40 years old, people who have a personal or family history of migraines and people who have depression, lupus or epilepsy.