Organization and Business Operations	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization and Business Operations	1. Organization and Business Operations Second Sight Medical Products, Inc. (“Second Sight” or “the Company”), was founded in 1998 as a limited liability company and was subsequently incorporated in the State of California in 2003. Second Sight develops, manufactures and markets implantable prosthetic devices that can restore some functional vision to patients blinded by outer retinal degenerations, such as Retinitis Pigmentosa. In 2007, Second Sight formed Second Sight (Switzerland) Sarl, initially to manage clinical trials for its products in Europe, and later to manage sales and marketing in Europe and the Middle East. As the laws of Switzerland require at least two corporate stockholders, Second Sight (Switzerland) Sarl is 99.5% owned directly by the Company and 0.5% owned by an executive of Second Sight, who is acting as a nominee of the Company. Accordingly, Second Sight (Switzerland) Sarl is considered 100% owned for financial statement purposes and is consolidated with Second Sight for all periods presented. Since its inception, the Company has generated limited revenues from the sale of products and has financed its operations primarily through the issuance of common stock, convertible debt (which has been converted into common stock), and grants primarily from government agencies. The Company’s financial statements have been presented on the basis that its business is a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. The Company is subject to the risks and uncertainties associated with a business with one product line and limited commercial product revenues, including limitations on the Company’s operating capital resources and uncertain demand for its products. The Company has incurred recurring operating losses and negative operating cash flows since inception, and it expects to continue to incur operating losses and negative operating cash flows for at least the next few years. The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, in its report on the Company’s 2015 consolidated financial statements, raised substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. In June 2016, the Company successfully completed a Rights Offering to existing stockholders, raising proceeds of $19.5 million net of cash offering costs, and selling 5,978,465 shares of common stock at $3.315 per share, representing 85% of the Company’s stock price at the close of the rights offering. The Company believes that it has sufficient funds to last through the end of the second quarter of 2017. In order to continue business operations past that point, the Company currently anticipates that it will need to raise additional debt and/or equity capital during the next several months. However, there can be no assurances that the Company will be able to secure any such additional financing on acceptable terms and conditions, or at all. If cash resources become insufficient to satisfy the Company’s ongoing cash requirements, the Company would be required to scale back or discontinue its technology and product development programs and/or clinical trials, or obtain funds, if available (although there can be no certainty), through strategic alliances that may require the Company to relinquish rights to its products, or to discontinue its operations entirely.

Organization and Business Operations

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

1. Organization and Business Operations

Second Sight Medical Products, Inc. (“Second Sight” or “the Company”), was founded in 1998 as a limited liability company and was subsequently incorporated in the State of California in 2003. Second Sight develops, manufactures and markets implantable prosthetic devices that can restore some functional vision to patients blinded by outer retinal degenerations, such as Retinitis Pigmentosa.

In 2007, Second Sight formed Second Sight (Switzerland) Sarl, initially to manage clinical trials for its products in Europe, and later to manage sales and marketing in Europe and the Middle East. As the laws of Switzerland require at least two corporate stockholders, Second Sight (Switzerland) Sarl is 99.5% owned directly by the Company and 0.5% owned by an executive of Second Sight, who is acting as a nominee of the Company. Accordingly, Second Sight (Switzerland) Sarl is considered 100% owned for financial statement purposes and is consolidated with Second Sight for all periods presented.

Since its inception, the Company has generated limited revenues from the sale of products and has financed its operations primarily through the issuance of common stock, convertible debt (which has been converted into common stock), and grants primarily from government agencies.

The Company’s financial statements have been presented on the basis that its business is a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. The Company is subject to the risks and uncertainties associated with a business with one product line and limited commercial product revenues, including limitations on the Company’s operating capital resources and uncertain demand for its products. The Company has incurred recurring operating losses and negative operating cash flows since inception, and it expects to continue to incur operating losses and negative operating cash flows for at least the next few years. The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, in its report on the Company’s 2015 consolidated financial statements, raised substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

In June 2016, the Company successfully completed a Rights Offering to existing stockholders, raising proceeds of $19.5 million net of cash offering costs, and selling 5,978,465 shares of common stock at $3.315 per share, representing 85% of the Company’s stock price at the close of the rights offering. The Company believes that it has sufficient funds to last through the end of the second quarter of 2017. In order to continue business operations past that point, the Company currently anticipates that it will need to raise additional debt and/or equity capital during the next several months. However, there can be no assurances that the Company will be able to secure any such additional financing on acceptable terms and conditions, or at all. If cash resources become insufficient to satisfy the Company’s ongoing cash requirements, the Company would be required to scale back or discontinue its technology and product development programs and/or clinical trials, or obtain funds, if available (although there can be no certainty), through strategic alliances that may require the Company to relinquish rights to its products, or to discontinue its operations entirely.