The Company	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
The Company	The Company Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Aerie”), with its wholly-owned subsidiaries Aerie Pharmaceuticals Limited and Aerie Pharmaceuticals Ireland Limited (“Aerie Limited” and “Aerie Ireland Limited”, respectively, together with Aerie, the “Company”), is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of small molecule products to treat patients with glaucoma and other diseases of the eye. In March 2015, the Company revised its corporate structure to align with its business strategy outside of North America by establishing Aerie Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands. In addition, Aerie assigned the beneficial rights to its non-U.S. and non-Canadian intellectual property to Aerie Limited (the “IP Assignment”). As part of the IP Assignment, Aerie and Aerie Limited entered into a research and development cost sharing agreement pursuant to which Aerie and Aerie Limited will share the costs of the development of intellectual property. Additionally, in April 2015, the Company continued to prepare for internationally-based activities and established Aerie Ireland Limited as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aerie Limited to develop and commercialize the beneficial rights of the intellectual property assigned as part of the IP Assignment pursuant to a license arrangement entered into between Aerie Limited and Aerie Ireland Limited. The Company has its principal executive offices in Irvine, California and operates as one business segment. The Company has not yet commenced commercial operations and therefore has not generated product revenue. The Company’s activities since inception have primarily consisted of developing product candidates, raising capital and performing research and development activities. The Company does not expect to generate revenue until and unless it receives regulatory approval of and successfully commercializes its product candidates. The Company has incurred losses and experienced negative operating cash flows since inception. The Company has funded its operations primarily through the sale of equity securities and issuance of convertible notes (Note 8). If the Company does not successfully commercialize any of its product candidates, it may be unable to generate product revenue or achieve profitability. Accordingly, the Company may be required to obtain further funding through other public or private offerings, debt financing, collaboration and licensing arrangements or other sources. Adequate additional funding may not be available to the Company on acceptable terms, or at all. If the Company is unable to raise capital when needed or on attractive terms, it may be forced to delay, reduce or eliminate its research and development programs or commercialization efforts.

The Company

Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Aerie”), with its wholly-owned subsidiaries Aerie Pharmaceuticals Limited and Aerie Pharmaceuticals Ireland Limited (“Aerie Limited” and “Aerie Ireland Limited”, respectively, together with Aerie, the “Company”), is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of small molecule products to treat patients with glaucoma and other diseases of the eye.

In March 2015, the Company revised its corporate structure to align with its business strategy outside of North America by establishing Aerie Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands. In addition, Aerie assigned the beneficial rights to its non-U.S. and non-Canadian intellectual property to Aerie Limited (the “IP Assignment”). As part of the IP Assignment, Aerie and Aerie Limited entered into a research and development cost sharing agreement pursuant to which Aerie and Aerie Limited will share the costs of the development of intellectual property. Additionally, in April 2015, the Company continued to prepare for internationally-based activities and established Aerie Ireland Limited as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aerie Limited to develop and commercialize the beneficial rights of the intellectual property assigned as part of the IP Assignment pursuant to a license arrangement entered into between Aerie Limited and Aerie Ireland Limited. The Company has its principal executive offices in Irvine, California and operates as one business segment.

The Company has not yet commenced commercial operations and therefore has not generated product revenue. The Company’s activities since inception have primarily consisted of developing product candidates, raising capital and performing research and development activities. The Company does not expect to generate revenue until and unless it receives regulatory approval of and successfully commercializes its product candidates. The Company has incurred losses and experienced negative operating cash flows since inception. The Company has funded its operations primarily through the sale of equity securities and issuance of convertible notes (Note 8).

If the Company does not successfully commercialize any of its product candidates, it may be unable to generate product revenue or achieve profitability. Accordingly, the Company may be required to obtain further funding through other public or private offerings, debt financing, collaboration and licensing arrangements or other sources. Adequate additional funding may not be available to the Company on acceptable terms, or at all. If the Company is unable to raise capital when needed or on attractive terms, it may be forced to delay, reduce or eliminate its research and development programs or commercialization efforts.