Commitments and Contingencies - Other (Details)		1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	Oct. 01, 2019 item	Dec. 31, 2018 item	Aug. 31, 2018 item	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($) item	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Other commitments
Letter of Credit outstanding				$ 8,800,000
Restricted cash pledged for letter of credit				$ 8,800,000	$ 8,800,000	$ 8,800,000
Number of Months from start of lease for adjustments to Letter of Credit | item				37
Frequency of adjustment to Letter of Credit				12 months
Adjustment rate of Letter of Credit (as a percent)				20.00%
Amount of Letter of Credit outstanding after adjustments				$ 2,000,000.0
Number of other irrevocable letters of credit outstanding | item				2
Restricted cash pledged for office lease agreement				$ 400,000
Restricted cash pledged for credit card program				200,000
Purchase commitment obligation				5,100,000
Deferred compensation plan liability				3,200,000		3,700,000
Deferred compensation plan assets				3,100,000		$ 3,500,000
Agreement with the Regents
Other commitments
Minimum required annual payment of the commitment obligation, based on net sales of current and future products				500,000
Maximum | Buyout Agreement with GMP Vision Solutions, Inc.
Other commitments
Buyout amount upon sale of Company.				2,000,000.0
Cost of sales | Agreement with the Regents
Other commitments
Commitment obligation payments				1,100,000	$ 1,300,000
Patent Litigation | Pending Litigation
Other commitments
Number of patent infringements | item			3
Number of new new petitions filed | item		2
Securities Litigation | Pending Litigation
Other commitments
Accrual for loss contingency				$ 0
Number of additional lawsuits filed | item	2
Number of lawsuits that name Avedro and Avedro board of directors as defendants | item	2
Number of total lawsuits filed | item	4