Dr Light operated on my husbands spine when ALL other doctors wouldn't even try. He couldn't walk. He was confined to a wheelchair for over a year. I contacted Dr Light and he asked me to send him any and all MRI and X-RAYS to him. After a short while Dr Light said he would like to examine my husband. I flew him to San Francisco where we met with Dr Light. Dr Light agreed to try and give my husband some relief. After two lengthy surgeries and 30 days later my husband WALKED OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AND BORDED A PLANE HOME!!! God bless Dr Kennith Light. That surgery was 20 years ago and my husband is still walking strong and living a healthy life being of service to others. We thank God for leading us to our surgeon , Dr Kenneth Light. Judy and Don SIGLIN read more

He is one of the worst doctors I have ever worked with. He actively discouraged me from physical therapy (he dismissed it as "bending over a medicine ball") and said that my only option was a risky back procedure. I eventually sought a second opinion, completed a course of physical therapy, which improved my condition dramatically. So glad I didn't listen to this guy. On top of his poor advice, him and his staff are incredibly rude, and seemed annoyed to have to listen to his patients or answer questions of any kind. read more

Had an appointment scheduled for around noon. The day before his receptionist tells me to come in 15min early. I show up at early and am sitting in the exam room for nearly 90min before Dr. Light comes in. No apologies for being late, but instead he has an attitude toward me during the evaluation as if I were the reason why he was late?? Horrible doctor, suggested I get spinal shots with him but no thanks. I'll go to a doctor that actually cares and is compassionate with their patient. Do yourself a favor and find literally anyone else. It's always the old boomer doctors that feel like they're doing you a favor. read more

I was scheduled to have surgery earlier this year by a local neurosurgeon and my primary care doctor highly recommended Dr. Light. Although his office was located in SF and I live in the South Bay, he does perform surgery at O'Connor Hospital in San Jose. My surgery on my lower lumbar went longer than expected and Dr. Light was able to clean out all the areas that were causing me problems. Dr. Light knows backs, he's done over 10,000 back surgeries and I guess that's why my primary care doctor referred me to him in the first place. It's been 90 days since my surgery and I feel 80-90% better than I did prior to the surgery. I recommend him highly. Jim D read more

Dr. Kenneth I. Light Is 1 of the finest surgeons around. It does take a while to get into to see him and you may wait for hours because he is at the hospital. It's worth the wait That's why your doctor referred you to him. He is upfront very honest and blunt about what needs to be done. I personally would much rather have that than a doctor blowing sunshine up my back side. He's not the type of surgeon to cut on you unless you truly need it. Most doctor's walk away from you when the insurance company start denying things he will fight for you more than any doctor I've ever come across. Just need to say to say to Frank S. Dr. Light was the president and founder of San Francisco spine center and is chief of orthopedic surgery at Saint Francis Hospital. He would send your records to your new doctor and when now you have gone with a new Doctor. I have found it's normal to take about three months to see a good surgeon. The reason your having to wait is because he has emergencies come up at the hospital. I recommend being the first patient of the day. Parking in the city is a nightmare, pay close attention to all parking signs make sure your not parked in a street cleaning area for that day. The City love to tow cars. read more

Kenneth Light, MD - Orthopedists Near Me - San Leandro, California

I am new to yelp so this review is a couple years old. I have suffered from chronic mid back pain for years. Dr. Light just told me that I was going to eat anti-inflamatory meds for the rest of my life. He did not talk about steroid injections, physical therapy,acupuncture or any of the many alternatives that can be used to treat facet arthritis. Pitiful! I did not give up and now I am doing great. He might be a great surgeon ( I have no idea,) but his bedside sucked that day. Dr. Light, stop sucking! read more

Dr Light has been my Doctor for over 20 years and has always given me the best medical advice and treatment I could hope for. This past April Dr Light performed a two level artificial disc surgery on me. For the first time in 20 years I am pain free in my neck. Currently I am waiting for my lumbar replacement surgery with Dr Light. I travel from the Central Valley in California which can vary in time from 2 to 4hours to see him when he was in San Francisco and it's worth every hour on the road to see him. He has always treated me with the utmost respect and compassion and I trust my life with him. Dr Light thank you for everything you have done to improve the quality of my life over the years. Good bless you my friend. read more

This guy is one of these doctors that believes he's god. He was an hour and half late for my appointment to start. Then after suffering through the world's least ergonomic waiting room I'm called back to meet Dr. Light. To put it politely Dr. Light's got the personality of a stale hunk of rye bread, crusty and past his prime. Next he proceeds to diagnosis my problem by looking at me walk across the room and bend. Unfortunately, his diagnosis of a back strain was wrong and his treatment of pharma rep samples of anti-inflammatory meds was just plain wrong as well. My issue was latter diagnosed by a better doctor who identified my problem on the first visit and verified her diagnosis with the aid of an MRI. Maybe Dr. Light was good at his job at some point. However he's past his prime and should not be practicing medicine if can't diagnosis and treat basic problems. There are plenty of better people in this town to see and you shouldn't waste your time with Dr. Light. read more

I have only been to Dr. Light once so far. I haven't had a good experience with any doctors in SF so far. Dr. Light exceeded my expectations. He's genuinely wants to help you and he takes time to listen to what you say. I had one instance where I told him how I hurt my back and he's been the only one who hasn't treated me like an idiot because of it. His staff is nice and helpful. I really liked the office too. As I have only been to him once, I can't really say anymore, but I am very please. Perhaps I will update my review after more visits. ALSO: The address on here is not correct It's 1700 California Suite 340 read more

I went to see multiple doctors this past year; including Dr. Kenneth I. Light . He is top notch! Dr. Light is honest, direct , caring, compassionate and upfront. He is not out to run up your insurance bills promising you the earth, moon and stars with medication , physical therapy or epidural injections that won't help. When I first met him he knew exactly how to help me but ordered proper tests to confirm what he thought. Some of the tests Dr. Light ordered weren't ever considered by my other attending doctors. He was very through. My symptoms were neck pain, arm, hand and finger numbness. I was waking up 5-10 times per night with numbness in my arms and hands that wouldn't dissipate. I started dropping everything ! I had a cervical compression. The biggest reason I chose Dr. Light is that I was impressed by how passionate he is about helping with spinal issues. He loves what he's doing! I will never forget how happy and excited his face looked after my successful surgery; like a kid on Christmas morning! I live in Livermore and it takes a good 1-2 hours of travel time (depending on traffic) to get to the city and not once did I have to wait long. I was always in and out within the hour of my appointment. However, parking could be rather tricky but it is San Francisco. His office staff were all very professional , pleasant and caring. Karla went above and beyond with calling and texting to check up on me on the weekends before and after my surgery. read more

Dr. Light was a great surgeon for me in 1992 when he enabled me to have a life free of pain and paralysis, and he is still a phenomenal healer in 2009. My husband was recently hit by an SUV while riding his bike and received a core spinal cord injury, initially losing use of his hands. Ken and his capable team treated my husband and have guided him back to regaining the use of his hands and almost a complete recovery, with no surgery so far. It is too bad that "Frankly S" was disappointed. Hopefully his surgery will be successful and he won't have to go to Ken to have it repaired as so many others have had to do. Yes, the waiting room is busy - I found out about the failed surgeries by other surgeons talking with Ken's other patients. I found Ken's staff to be really on top of it, a blessing when one is going through the scary situation of spine problems. I have sent many people to Ken, and most were told they did not need surgery and were encouraged by the outcome. Those who did have to have surgery, like me, feel, as I do, that Ken quite possibly saved me from a life of constant pain and disability. read more

I am one of Dr. Lights failures. I chose to seek out an attorney and file a malpractice lawsuit. Three lawyer said I have a case, but due to the malpractice cap of $250,000.00 California put in place, they could not afford to take my case. It would cost as much if not more to handle the case. Three malpractice lawyers said the same thing. So I went to UCSF and sought out Dr Berven in the spine department. My corrective surgery is in 2 days. My new Dr is the head of the spine dept and a professor at UCSF. I have great faith in this new Doctor. Dr Berven has to open me up and completely re-do everything Dr light screwed up. Take everything out and cut a 45 degree wedge out of my L-3 to get the back to curve correctly again. Dr light took away the curve in my lower back and I now have to look at the ground instead of straight up. I look like the hunchback of notre dame. I wish I could put him out of business. I have been in more pain and I am worse off now than before the surgery in 2016. Paybacks are a........ well you know Dr Light. Only God can forgive you. read more

Dr. Light has been more than just a great doctor and surgeon to me and my family for over 6 years. In my opinion there is no one better and I have seen a lot. I was injured after falling over a hand rail in 2002. After several less than successful surgeries by other Doctors, I was referred to Dr. Light and am thankful everyday for it. I am not one of his many prominent clients or miraculous stories. I am just a guy who got injured at work but he treats me with the same respect and dignity as he does everyone else. His expertise, compassion and support are phenomenal. Dr Light has been there and continues to be here for me through a very rough time in my life and I have seen him be the same for many others. I have referred and would refer anyone to Dr. Light. He is , if not the best , one of the best . If not for Dr light and his staff I truly don't know what I would do. I know that when you live with constant pain it is hard to not be scared and feel like everyone is against you. I hope that "Frankly S" has a successful outcome and if not I am sure that Dr. Light will be there for him also. It is just who Dr. Light is. read more

Dr. Kenneth Light did my Cervical Disc Surgery on the 2 worst ruptured discs in my neck in 1997. He was amazing! At the time there was no titanium yet in the field, so he carved a bit of my hip bone to fit perfectly in replacing the discs. Was better than accepting a donor bone. He greatly improved my quality of life. I found him easy to work with in my care plan, and was extraordinarily knowledgeable and frank in his assessment of my needs. I highly recommend him!! read more

HORRID! Once upon a time, Dr. Light was THE 'go to guy' for back surgery in the city, not so anymore and is no longer with the Spine Center at St. Francis Hospital. My doctor referred me to him noting that he was the best. First, trying to make an appointment was like trying to make an appointment to see the pope. His staff were completely unorganized and RUDE on the phone demanding forms faxed back to them before I even stepped in the door and were not helpful at all. The day of my appointment, I was kept waiting for over an hour, in a packed waiting room in his office on California street. There were many 'shady' people in the waiting room talking about their pain pills with one another and I'm guessing they were 'workers comp' people because his office staff asked enough times on the phone and in person if I were a 'workers comp' case... I finally get to see Dr. Light with my MRIs. First he tells me to walk across the floor in the examination room. He seemed completely un-phased with my difficultly walking, and asked when I hurt my back. When I told him he stated 'it wasn't that long'. I totally got the vibe that he thought I was 'faking'. He left the room to examine my MRI and his tune COMPLETELY changed. He said I needed to have surgery right away because it had been this long already with absolutely no guarantees that I would ever walk normally or regain feeling in my leg. I told him to go ahead and move forward with surgery and getting the approval from my insurance company. I went for a 2nd opinion of course and found a GREAT surgeon at the Spine Center and went with him instead. Still to this day, I have not heard back from Dr. Light's office if my insurance had been approved for the surgery or setting a date for the surgery.... I or my doctor never communicated to him that I went with another doctor. Just because someone WAS the best, doesn't mean they still are. VERY bad 'bedside manor' and completely unprofessional office and staff. If you proceed with Dr. Light, GET A SECOND OPINION!!! read more

Please avoid this place at all cost. The staff is TERRIBLE, they have an extremely high turn over, with the exception of the office manager, I believe her name is trudy? The wait times are always extremely long, at least an hour. The main issue, and the reason for my review, is that on every single visit to this office, the office manager has belittled and yelled at her staff. She talks extremely disrespectfully, and often treats them like 5 year old children acting badly. She talks slow and condescending, while being aggressive. After she leaves the staff members are so upset they then complain and vent to a patient. On my last visit she tore into the staff member at the front for about 20 minutes, then she cried to a patient for another 15. I do not blame the receptionist by the way, I would walk out if I was spoken to in such a manner. With all this going on it's no wonder they can't schedule appointments correctly, and not lose your paperwork over and over. See any other doctor, its not worth the shenanigans to go here. read more

My wife had a prior back surgery that fused her lower 4 vertebrae to her tail bone leaving her in almost as much pain as before for about 4 years. We went to a number of specialists and other surgeons during that time that either dismissed her pain or tried other techniques and minor surgeries that either did nothing to relieve the pain or made it worse. Thankfully, after years of life disrupting pain, we were put in touch with Dr. Light by a good friend and after our first meeting, knew he would be able to help. After reviewing some scans and mri's, he was able to validate that something was terribly wrong with the prior surgery and he would be able to help correct some of the damage. He became an advocate for us, even when the hospital tried to deny us coverage the day the surgery was scheduled, Dr Light argued with the director of the hospital to force the surgery through. The day after the surgery, my wife was able to feel her legs for the first time without pain or that painful tingling when it "falls asleep". Granted, she'll be in pain the rest of her life on some level, my wife was able to get her career back and start living a successful life again. All thanks to Dr. Light. Not enough words to express our gratitude. If you want the best back surgeon period, you need to see Dr. Light. read more

I've read these reviews. Some are on point but many are not giving an entirely fair review of one of the finest men I have ever met. Compassionate, funny, endearing, caring, EXPERIENCED and willing to spend time with his patients. His lobby is full not because of incompetence by his staff but BECAUSE he is a throwback to the time when a doctor cared about his patients. AND spent time with them. I have been seeing Dr. Light since October 2000. That's thirteen years for those of you who don't understand why he asks you to walk on your toes or heels (this is the easiest way to observe nerve damage.....but of course, you know more than he does.) He has decades of experience with patients like me who thought alternative therapies might be helpful (I've tried the full gamut of alternative therapies including homeopathic 'medicines', acupuncture, Feldenkraise, Pilates, yoga, healers, various massage therapies, etc.) Spent many, many thousands of dollars. He told me it was a waste of my money. AND it was. In the negative reviews, I read so many patronizing comments. As if you know better than Dr. Light because some 'other' doctor told you what you wanted to hear. Bottom line is that once your nerves or back are damaged you have very few options and returning to the life you once had is extremely difficult. Dr. Light understands this, communicates directly and ALWAYS gives you an honest assessment of your options. He does have CURRENT success in helping his patients. His track record both current and past stands on it's own. If you need help he is your doctor (he's not washed up) as some of negative reviews would have you believe. People fly in from all over the globe to see him along with their translators (I observe this routinely in Dr. Light's waiting area.) That says very much. One thing I can tell you is that Dr. Light is an ethical and honest man. He won't perform surgery unless he believes it is helpful and communicates your options honestly and directly. Sometimes it rests upon US to accept his advice. But he gives pertinent and relevant advice. Presumably, because he has the years of experience. That's what I've most appreciated about him. He saved my life. I suffered from back and nerve injuries in my legs that four to five doctors (plus radiologists) misdiagnosed in 1999/2000. After viewing my MRI on a Thursday, Dr. Light recommended surgery. At the time, he had a sixteen week wait list for surgeries but HE made it happen on the following Monday. If you want a doctor who cares. Visit Dr. Light. And don't put to much credence on the negative reviews. I've read these negative reviews and they seem to come from amateurs who have not really experienced true nerve pain. It's not about back pain as much as is it about nerve damage from the spinal cord. And he has never left a room since I've been seeing him in 2000 to look at an MRI film, Xray, CTScan or any other film. Be wary of the negative reviews cause they are just not objective. And come from people who are looking to blame someone for their circumstances. read more

Dr. Light was 45 minutes late and when he came into the exam room he didn't apologize for being late and he was unfriendly, seemingly annoyed with me for some reason. His "exam" lasted for about 30 seconds, after which he told me there was nothing he could do for me and to come back in 6 weeks if the pain hadn't subsided. Perhaps there was nothing he could do for me, but in any case more empathy and a more thorough exam would have been appreciated, especially since I'm sure he charged a lot of money for that 15 minutes. read more

My wife has been seeing Dr. Light for 5 years now. He did surgery on her neck 4 years ago, successfully. He replaced two discs and "cleaned up" another surgeons mess. He has always been kind caring and compassionate. I am so grateful that she is under his care!! read more

Dr. Light along with Dr. Hattori are as good as it gets. Dr. Light operated on me twice and I am very satisfied with results. I am still in pain but it's not their fault. Dr. Hattori is treating me for pain and is very responsive as is Dr. Light. I have had really good experience with the staff. They've returned my calls and answered all my questions when needed. I would and have recommended people to their office and will continue to do so in future. Frankly S may have had a bad experience but it's not always the case. The office is crowed, usually towards the middle of the day and the late afternoon, not right when it opens. Don't be discouraged by an isolated bad experience. Dr. Light is the best back doctor one can ask for. read more

What can I say? Dr. Light is my go to surgeon. In 1986, I was rear ended on US 101 northbound. It took three years for me to find Dr. Light and in 1989 he performed a two level cervical fusion at C3-4 and C5-6. It lasted for about 21 years. At that time, he said I will see you in about 20 years. And you know he was right on! I moved across the country for my job and saw many, many orthopedic doctors in many parts of the country but I always knew if I ever needed additional relief from chronic neck and back pain I would come back to see Dr. Light no matter where I was living. Well, that happened. I began to have problems with neck and back pain in the summer of 2010 but unfortunately Dr Light no longer took my private health insurance. I saw several other doctors that were in my network. But then I was in another motor vehicle accident on I-880 and was rearended while at work in March 2011. I was able to see Dr. Light and NOW I am finally in recovery for a two level artificial disc replacement surgery at the C4-5 and C6-7 levels. Prior to my surgery, he prescribed an epidural, physical therapy and acupunture in order to try and avoid surgery. None of those conventional treatments helped my pain. Though it is still early in my recovery I believe the surgery was indeed successful. So needless to say I am happy to be once again under the care and treatment of the finest surgeon in the Bay Area. Simply put, I have not had a bad experience with him because if I had I would not have sought him out again after 22 years! read more

I am a patient of Dr. Light and I am extremely thankfull that I was able to find a doctor of his skill and capacity as a surgeon. I have a disk replacement. I also have another disk herniated. When I went to see him. I was in such pain after a work related injury and a car accident that I couldn't function as a normal person. The day of surgery, I was able to walk without pain again. He explained the procedure, the risk, and the benefits... I am living with the benefits of a normal, active, full life again. He is a man of few words, with great skill.... read more

I have been a patient of Dr. Light for quite some time and I totally disagree with Frankly S.'s negative review. I have had spinal problems for the better part of my life. Other doctors over the years had told me I had degenerative disk disease which I should interpret as having grey hair or think of it as allergies - it will come and go. Being persistent because I was in massive amounts of pain, I was recommended to see Dr. Light. He found that the the degenerative disk disease was actually a ruptured disk in my back and a shattered disk in my neck. He was the only doctor who took me seriously when I saw him and he spent as much time as I needed with him in order to review my medical history and go over my issues. I have had three surgies with Dr. Light over the years. The first surgery allowed me to sit in a chair and work again. The second allowed me to be able to exercise and move again. The last has taken away all of my neck pain through the insertion of an artificial disk which will hopefully stay off any more surgeries that I may need. His office staff was persistent and efficient in scheduling my procedures and making sure I was ready when the time came for all of my surgeries. I also have found that Dr. Light cares about his patients and would never discount or assume that a patient is lying. I was in horrible pain prior to seeing Dr. Light and while other doctors' assumed there was nothing wrong with me, I found relief with Dr. Light and Dr. Hattori, his pain management partner. Additionally, I disagree with Frankly S.'s categorization of Worker's comp patients as being sub-human. While I was not a worker's comp patient, I would never sit in Dr. Light's waiting room and treat anyone as less than anyone else. I find Frankly S.'s characterizations snobbish and self-centered. I have also sat in Dr. Light's waiting room from time to time for an hour or more, but to me it is worth it to see the best doctor I know. There are few doctors I do see where I don't have a wait time of 30 minutes to an hour. Also, as I said above, Dr. Light's staff can be disorganized at times, but I find them helpful and extremely efficient when it comes time for surgery. They care about me and know me by name and I wouldn't trade Dr. Light or his staff for any other surgeon out there. As I said above, Dr. Light has literally given me my life back. I can never thank him enough for being patient with me in making the decisions to have surgery, for helping me get through the stress of healing and simply listening to me when I needed someone to talk to. I have come from a person who could not sit, walk well or move to a person who is now mountain biking, roller blading and living life again. Thank you Dr. Light. read more

I have to say, Dr. Light has performed magnificently. I had been to the emergency room twice with pain in my arm and down my back. The MRI relieved two crush disk. Most likely from high school, when a gymnastic floor demonstration went bad 45 years ago. Dr. Light was called in and the next thing I know, I'm awake with no pain and movement restrictions. I was expecting to have a full head restrained for months, but I required nothing. I was limited to lifting no more than 10lbs in the first two weeks. But that went up 5 lbs a week and I was walking miles with in a few days of leaving the hospital. 4 months later, I was backpacking with a 50+ lb pack for nearly 40 miles and then another two trips at around 50 miles each over the next two months. I have some numbness in my hand, but the pain was gone so quick and the recovery restrictions were no trouble. I was able to eat what I wanted and I felt great. Thank you Dr. Light. I think my neck moves better now, with less restrictions, than before. read more

I saw Dr. Light in 2004 and twice he put my back together. I would not trade his fine treatment for almost anything. The office was professional, the treatment incredible and I have been walking and on my feet for several years. Sue Alaska read more

I'm going to get straight to the point. On March 11th Doctor Light replaced my L4 and L5 discs with two Alternative Disc Replacements by ProDisc. Today April 18th I am walking around with NO issues related to the disc area. Before I had been taking all of the hard core pain drugs such as Morphine, Fentanal, etc. Today I'm only taking Aspirin or Aleve. I met with four other surgeons who all told me that I should just continue taking drugs or get a Fusion even though this would continue to cause disc problems up the back.. What pain I am having is to be expected, due to having major surgery. The areas of general discomfort pain is to my leg muscles, and other muscles of my body, called reflective pain, which has slowly gone away. Not all Insurance Companies or Plans are the same so the 1st thing you should do is contact your insurance company to confirm that they cover all FDA approved procedures such as Alternative Disc Replacements. There are many News Articles written, and Video Clips about Doctor Light which speaks volumes about him. I am very pleased with Doctor Light. He has given me my life back. read more

I consulted with Dr. Light twice and ultimately did not use him as a surgeon but I don't think the other reviews are fair. Dr. Light is one seriously competent surgeon. He may have an understaffed or poorly managed office, but he's highly skilled and highly regarded as one of the top people in SF for the surgeries he does. You probably shouldn't be picking your surgeon on the basis of office staff, anyway. Unlike treating doctors (who manage you through pain and suffering), surgeons all pretty much see if surgery will help you or it won't, and if they think it won't, they are not going to do much for you and you should not expect them to. There is not a surgical cure for every spine problem. Surgeons who don't have an option for you will send you to a physiatrist/PMR doctor to manage your pain and do rehab. So just because they don't help you doesn't mean they are bad surgeons. Dr. Light came highly recommended from a doctor I trusted. He was the most experienced in his field (artificial disk replacement) in the City by numbers of procedures done, including those doctors who did the medical trials for some of the artificial disks he implants. He was thorough, precise, and insightful in his reading of my tests, very clear, and very fact based. His communications were crystal clear and there was a reason he said everything he did. He had a lot of integrity when it came to not over-promising. He did not sugar coat what to expect from surgery. When I was on the OR table at St Francis waiting to get a long and painful diagnostic procedure called a discogram, I asked about Dr. Light. There was a shudder like he was a tough guy to work with because he was a perfectionist with zero tolerance for mistakes, but when I asked which surgeon they would have operate on them, both of them said Dr. Light with no hesitation. Other patients in the waiting room who had seen him for a long time were very complimentary. I decided to go ahead with him for surgery, but his office did not handle the paperwork well, he couldn't work through the insurance issues when other people I consulted did, and when I spoke to his insurance person I thought she dropped the ball. Truthfully his staff made me pretty angry with their lack of responsiveness. I thought Dr. Light was trustworthy, and while he's not a warm and fuzzy guy on the surface because he is so precise and analytical, he did give me good counsel and as I moved closer to surgery he did warm up and have good bedside manner. I felt Dr. Light was deeply concerned about me. Now I will agree his office admin is terrible, not because the gent at the front desk or the main nurse are not lovely people, but because they take a long time to get back to you (like 2 weeks when you are in pain waiting for a return phone call) and the back office is inefficient and do not communicate well with each other. I suppose his insurance person is ultimately the reason I did not go with Dr. Light for surgery. Whether or not you choose to have him be your surgeon, he is one astute diagnostician. I had no concerns about moving forward with him after reviewing a competitive field of other doctors for a long time. I learned a lot from consulting with him. I would not have hesitated to have him perform my spine surgery for an instant. On some of the other comments... orthopedic surgeon's offices are all filled with people who are looking for dope or a fat legal settlement. Don't hold that against Dr. Light. By the way, if you want non-surgical options, see a physiatrist (or PMR/physical medical rehab) doctor first and only see a surgeon if a physiatrist tells you to. read more

I have needed to update my initial Yelp Review for some time! I have now been going for over a year and this man may be blunt, he is always busy..(eats lunch on the go!) and some may "think" he is too honest, but when you're in excruciating pain and can't feel your feet, get sharp twangs from your nerves that are damaged...... you really DO want to know the truth! With Dr. Light, that's what you get and with, I might add a nice dose of human compassion. He is on the patient's side and will fight for what's right and best for YOU, the patient. To those like Dustin S. ....think about the words he said, as steroid injections do more harm than you think. If you already have the knowledge of alternative medicine, why go to an orthopedic surgeon in the first place? I have Fibromyalgia as well, so know I'm not an easy fix. I can only pray that my life will one day be 'normal'.... if that really does exist! Until then, I'll continue to go to see this wonderful man that doesn't have an ego problem, like so many others! read more

Waited one hour and 5 minutes when staff said it would only be a 20 minute wait. Office is stinky and has broken sunken chairs ( a spine doctor). Bad service from the staff and a lot of workers comp patients is suspect. I bailed as if there is a need for surgery or further treatment, this office will not be able to provide the level of service and care I would need and is unprofessional. Clearly they overbook and make people wait since they are workers comp, they are not working and can wait all day. read more

I would not recommend going here for an MRI opinion. I felt rushed and that Dr. Light did not take a careful look at my MRI or movement patterns. Going to another doctor (Fred Naraghi) proved to be much more helpful. There the time was taken to understand my problem and look through my MRI carefully where issues were found that Dr. Light missed. read more

Great Dr. I have been seeing Dr. Light for many years. He has been very careing and concerned about my on going back problem. Yes his doctors office is very busy and no wonder he is the best that is why. It is very hard to get started once you are his patient he is the best and i have had second options and always went back to him. I have had to have several surgeries and there is no garentee where ever you go you are always taking a chance. He has always treated my family with the greatest respect and is very thoughtful with there feelings. I would never go to another Doctor. Why when you have the best don't miss it up. Not every doctor is for everyone, so go where ever, but if he is so bad why do people come from all over the world to see him.... Ever think about that...So don't bad mouth a doctor you saw one time. I have put my life in his hands and he has done a GREAT JOB. Thank You Dr. Kenneth Light, MD. read more

I am basing my review on one thing, my final result. I had a doctor specializing in back problems and another highly regarded orthopedic surgeon who specialized in disk replacements recommend a combination of a disk replacement and fusion for my 4/5 and 5/1. I got so frustrated with the office staff of the first surgeon that I cancelled my surgery and asked for another referral from the my doctor, but trying to get into see that surgeon was going to take a long time. A friend of mine had heard of Dr. Light and I was able to get in quickly, so I went to see him. I feel very lucky to have had the difficulties I had w/the previous offices. If I had gone through with the originally planned surgery, I would still be going through the difficult recovery of spinal fusion. Instead, Dr. Light recommended 2 disk replacements, although he was pretty sure my insurance would only cover one. When I asked about the contradiction from my previous surgeon, I found him to be very candid and accessible. I didn't feel rushed during that consultation and had all my questions answered. When I went back to my back specialist with the different recommendation than the first, he concurred and told me most surgeons would recommend the more conservative disk/fusion combination at this time. I still don't understand why that is when the disk replacement has less long-term repercussions and a much easier recovery. Within 4 weeks of my surgery, I was spending a long weekend in Manhattan with old friends and walking quite a bit, albeit with frequent breaks to sit & rest. During my recovery in the hospital, I was struck by how highly regarded Dr. Light is at St. Francis by the staff & nurses. He was pretty laid back during my office consultation and yet when the nurses referred to him, it was with a bit of reverence. He and another doctor (who was taught by Dr. Light) are the only 2 doctors who insist their patients spend the first night in the ICU to ensure they are checked up on every couple of hours. I did experience long waits in the office, but that wasn't any different than my previous surgeon. The staff could be a bit more efficient, but honestly, I'd rather have an efficiency-challenged (but nice & courteous) office staff and a surgeon who's going to offer me options other surgeons won't, than a top-notch staff and a lesser surgeon. read more

I only seen him twice, because he was very unprofessional and curt. Didn't answer my questions. He was on my insurance so I had to go to him. Overall, a very bad and uncomfortable experience. read more

There are different things that need to be addressed with this complicated surgeon/Private Practitioner/man. As a surgeon, his ability to alleviate a persons pain is incredible. I have seen patients walk into the office looking 2-3 times their age. Walking out, looking 2-3 times LESS than their age. He can bring the life and sparkle back into a persons eyes. If you have been told, "you'll have to learn to live with the pain", Dr Light can most likely help you. As a private practitioner, he's the biggest jack-ass I have ever had the experience of meeting. He is demeaning to his staff, rude, obnoxious, demanding - and unrealistic demands. He seems to think that his staff can read his mind and gets upset when they don't deliver an unspoken request. He cannot accept the fact that he makes mistakes and is not a God, as many patients make him out to be. What he wants changes on a whim and there is no consistent office protocol. These reviews that say he is ethical and honest. That is true. It's his office manager that is another story. She is a piece of work that should be watched VERY closely. Not only does she smell bad, she will blow smoke up your back end, make promises that she won't remember making if the promise does not pan out or she forgets to follow up on it. She is also very demeaning to her staff, especially the poor woman at the front desk. The unrealistic expectations of her makes you question the legality of what she asks of her staff. I have heard her say there is no breaks for the medical assistants on Wednesday or Thursday when Dr Light is in the office. While he scampers off to places unknown without a word to anyone...but he is the doctor. He yells at his MA's for being behind schedule when he spends 30-45 minutes with a patient who had a 15 minute appointment. The office manager then gets involved asking why they are behind schedule. If the MA's don't grovel and promise to do better, but instead tell exactly why they are behind (i.e. Dr Light) she begins to lecture them on the importance of making sure the schedule is adhered to. It is the Bible to Dr Light's "God complex". As a man, I cannot really say much. I have heard that he is very charming, funny, quite the joke teller. In his office it's almost a Jekyll/Hyde thing. There is no evidence of this. But he must be because there are people whom he socialises with, has dinner with, girlfriend he dates...I'm sure these people would not put up with bad behavior. He does only "hang out" with the upper crust. read more

Waited in the lobby for almost 2 hours past my scheduled time. They overbook their calendar every time and I end up waiting no less than 1 hour each and every time I see him. Dr. Light spent no more than 5 minutes with me, asked me to take another MRI "just to see if anything has changed" all while telling me he doesn't think it will tell him anything anyhow. That seemed inexcusable after having me wait nearly 2 hours. Didn't ask me a single question to try and discover anything, really quite disengaged. I don't even recall him saying goodbye, he just muttered "sorry you had to wait" then wandered away. He gave me 3 different types of sample medications though, however he failed to take the time to help me understand how to take them (second time). I read such praise about this Dr. which is why I make the 2 hour round-trip to see him. Very frustrating waste of time. I can't recommend them. read more

i have been a patient of dr light for cervical and lumbar disc degeneration. from the beginning before surgery i was seen by pain management doctors who started me on years of narcotic meds.looking back i realize the futility of those doctors,short term acceptable but not long term, simply masking the spinal issues and not a curative method.once meeting dr light after researching for a spinal surgeon,i knew i would only allow this man to perform surgery on such important details of my spinal corrections.over the course of several years,light,helped me greatly.he fought for the working man[blue collar] and not let me not get the appropriate medical assistance i needed.today after 4 cervical disc implants and a fusion on the lower back i am getting stronger and have eliminated the pain meds that were slowly killing me.he brought back my range of motion cervically.i am now aware of the importance to exercise,keeping the muscles strong along the spine,he did his job,and i must do mine to achieve a high level of success.i am confident that dr light was the right choice. i recommend this doctor highly. george fleet read more

Dear Dr. Light. You are my hero!! 17 years ago you gave me my life back at 35 years of age. I am now 52 and thriving in life thanks to you. I didn't mind waiting for you ever. I had no use of my arms and hands. Before I went to see you I was living on 8 Vicodin, one for each hour of work, to survive all the quacks I went to to get better. All of them thot I was drug seeking and said my problem was only in my head. You my friend saw immediately the problem and personally spoke with the insurance company who previously would not approve my tests and treatment. I had three herniated discs in my cervical spine. You fixed two because that was what was the rule at the time. You honored my natural path ideas by letting me NOT have to use cadaver bone and you use mine from my hip. My healing from the hip and neck went so well that the second summer after the surgery I was able to backpack, always a forty pound pack, over 250 miles in small trips over three months. I never thot I would have a life again. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Anyone to say you don't have a good bedside manners doesn't know what a wonderfully compassionate doctor you are. I remember you were next to me in the recovery room waiting for me to wake up, and unknown to me why the nurses were cleaning you up cuz I barfed on you. You didn't care about it. All you cared about was ME!! I'm am still doing great!! I've almost forgotten I've had surgery on my neck!! And I know that the hundreds of friends I've sent to you over the years have also had great results like me. Thank you for being consistent so that I can continue referring people to you. read more