Orbital Tumor Evaluation & Treatment in Beverly Hills and Greater Los Angeles

Orbital tumors are abnormal growths within the eye socket, and learning you may have one can be frightening. Most are benign, but because the orbit holds the eye, its muscles, and the optic nerve in a very small space, even a slow-growing mass can affect vision, eye position, and facial appearance. These tumors can begin within the orbit itself or extend into it from nearby areas such as the sinuses, nasal cavity, or brain. Dr. Kami Parsa provides specialized evaluation and treatment for adults and children across Los Angeles, including Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Brentwood, and Century City.

Many orbital tumors are best managed by a team, and Dr. Parsa’s experience reflects that. He is a member of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Pediatric Craniofacial Surgery Team, and he coauthored a report in the Journal of AAPOS on a child with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland, a rare and aggressive tumor, treated with intra-arterial chemotherapy. His research on this tumor type began during his ophthalmology residency at USC’s Doheny Eye Institute, where he worked on developing an animal model for adenoid cystic carcinoma. He went on to complete a two-year fellowship in oculoplastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Miami’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.

“When a patient comes in with a mass behind the eye, the first job is to find out exactly what it is. The right diagnosis decides everything that follows, from whether we watch it to how we remove it and who else joins the team.” — Dr. Kami Parsa

What Are Orbital Tumors? Types in Adults and Children

The orbit contains the eyeball, the muscles that move it, the optic nerve, the lacrimal gland that produces tears, blood vessels, and supportive fat. A tumor can arise from any of these tissues or grow into the orbit from surrounding structures. The most common types differ by age:

• Benign tumors in adults: Cavernous hemangiomas, also called cavernous venous malformations, and schwannomas are among the most frequent benign growths in adults.
• Lacrimal gland tumors: Growths in the tear gland near the outer upper eyelid range from benign pleomorphic adenomas to malignant tumors such as adenoid cystic carcinoma.
• Malignant tumors in adults: Orbital lymphoma is the most common primary orbital cancer in adults, and cancers from elsewhere in the body, including breast, lung, and prostate cancer, can spread to the orbit.
• Tumors in children: Dermoid cysts and infantile hemangiomas are common in children, while rhabdomyosarcoma is the most important malignant orbital tumor of childhood.

Orbital Tumor Symptoms and Conditions That Can Mimic Them

Orbital tumors do not always cause obvious symptoms early on, and some are discovered on imaging done for another reason. When symptoms appear, they often include:

• A bulging or forward displaced eye, called proptosis
• Double vision or limited eye movement
• Blurred or reduced vision
• Pain or pressure around the eye
• Eyelid swelling, drooping, or a lump that can be felt under the eyelid

Several inflammatory conditions can look like a tumor. Thyroid eye disease is the most common cause of a bulging eye in adults, and idiopathic orbital inflammation, sometimes called orbital pseudotumor, can cause painful swelling that resembles a mass. Sorting out these possibilities early is the key to the right treatment.

When to Seek Emergency Care

Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you experience sudden vision loss, rapidly worsening eye bulging, severe eye pain, or red, swollen eyelids with fever, which can signal a serious orbital infection. A child whose eye begins to bulge or whose eyelid swells over a matter of days should be seen urgently, since some childhood orbital tumors grow quickly. Once emergency concerns have been addressed, Dr. Parsa can provide specialized evaluation and follow-up.

How Orbital Tumors Are Diagnosed

Dr. Parsa begins with a complete eye examination, measuring vision, color vision, pupil response, eye movement, and how far each eye sits forward. He then reviews CT and MRI imaging, which show the size and location of the mass, its relationship to the optic nerve and eye muscles, and whether it involves the surrounding bone.

Imaging often narrows the possibilities, but many tumors can only be confirmed with a tissue sample. When a biopsy is needed, it is usually performed surgically through a small incision, and in select cases with image guidance. Some tumors should not be biopsied first. A suspected benign pleomorphic adenoma of the lacrimal gland, for example, is typically removed whole, because cutting into it can raise the risk of recurrence.

Orbital Tumor Treatment Options

Treatment depends on the type of tumor, its location, how quickly it is growing, and whether it threatens vision. After reviewing your examination and imaging, Dr. Parsa discusses the options that apply to your case:

• Observation: Small, stable, benign tumors that do not affect vision are often monitored with periodic examinations and imaging.
• Medical treatment: Orbital inflammation is often treated with corticosteroids, and infantile hemangiomas in children are commonly treated with medication rather than surgery.
• Surgical removal: Tumors that are growing, pressing on the optic nerve, or likely to become malignant are often removed surgically.
• Radiation and chemotherapy: Orbital lymphoma, metastatic cancer, and childhood rhabdomyosarcoma are usually treated primarily with radiation, chemotherapy, or both, with surgery used mainly for biopsy.

When cancer is found, Dr. Parsa works in coordination with oncologists and radiation oncologists so that surgical care fits within your overall treatment plan.

Orbital Tumor Surgery and Reconstruction

Whenever possible, Dr. Parsa reaches the tumor through incisions hidden in the natural upper eyelid crease or on the inside of the lower eyelid. Deeper tumors may require an orbitotomy, in which a section of the bony orbital wall is temporarily removed to create access and then secured back in place. Tumors near the back of the orbit or extending into the sinuses or brain may be managed together with neurosurgeons or ear, nose, and throat surgeons.

Reconstruction is planned from the start. If surgery affects eyelid position or the eyelid itself, eyelid reconstruction helps restore function and appearance. In the rare cases where an aggressive cancer requires removal of the eye, options for enucleation or evisceration and orbital reconstruction are discussed in detail.

What to Expect After Orbital Tumor Surgery

Recovery varies with the size and location of the tumor. Swelling and bruising are common for the first one to two weeks, and many patients return to light activity within that time, while more extensive surgery requires a longer recovery. Possible risks include bleeding, infection, double vision, eyelid drooping, numbness, reduced vision, and in rare cases vision loss or tumor recurrence. Dr. Parsa reviews these risks before surgery, provides detailed aftercare instructions, and schedules follow-up visits and imaging as needed.

Why Patients Choose Dr. Parsa for Orbital Tumor Care

A possible orbital tumor calls for careful diagnosis and a surgeon who understands both the orbit and the eyelids that protect it. Patients choose Dr. Parsa for the combination of reconstructive training and thoughtful, individualized care.

• Exclusive Focus on the Eyelids and Orbit: His practice is devoted to reconstructive, revisional, and cosmetic surgery of the eyelids and surrounding tissues, with no general plastic surgery.
• Academic Appointment: He is an Adjunct Clinical Professor at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, where he earned his medical degree with honors.
• Eyelid Cancer Expertise: He lectures on the evaluation and management of eyelid malignancies and on eyelid reconstruction after Mohs surgery.
• Reconstruction After Tumor Removal: He presented work on reconstructing orbital exenteration defects with a pedicled temporalis flap at the California Society of Plastic Surgeons.
• More Than 20 Years of Clinical Experience: He has cared for patients with complex eyelid and orbital conditions for more than two decades in Beverly Hills.
• Humanitarian Reconstructive Care: He founded the Surgical Friends Foundation, which provides reconstructive surgery to patients without access to quality medical care.

Schedule an Orbital Tumor Consultation in Beverly Hills

If you have been told you have an orbital mass or are noticing eye bulging, double vision, or vision changes, a specialist evaluation can clarify your diagnosis and options. Dr. Kami Parsa sees patients at his office at 465 N Roxbury Dr, Suite 1011, in Beverly Hills and welcomes patients from throughout Los Angeles and Southern California. Begin your personalized consultation and bring any imaging or reports you have, so your visit can be as productive as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions About Orbital Tumors

• How do I know if I need surgery?
• Will my vision be affected?
• How soon can I return to work or normal activities?
• Do you treat children with orbital tumors?
• What if I live outside Beverly Hills?