Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method for monitoring intracranial pressure. Embodiments of the present invention include emitting an electromagnetic wavelength into forehead tissue of a patient and detecting characteristics of the electromagnetic wavelength after the electromagnetic wavelength has been scattered by the tissue. The characteristics may include variations in the electromagnetic wavelength corresponding to a pulse. Further, embodiments of the present invention include analyzing the variations to identify venous pulsations, and determining whether intracranial pressure is elevated in the patient based on a correlation between the venous pulsations and levels of intracranial pressure.