Number of equity compensation plans.

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- Definition

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Recognition Period

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- Definition

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Recognition Period

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Unrecognized cost of unvested share-based compensation awards.

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
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- Definition

Unrecognized cost of unvested share-based awards, other than options, awarded to employees as compensation.

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- Definition

Period which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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- Definition

The number of grants made during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

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- Definition

The number of non-vested equity-based payment instruments, excluding stock (or unit) options, that validly exist and are outstanding as of the balance sheet date.

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- Definition

The number of equity-based payment instruments, excluding stock (or unit) options, that vested during the reporting period.

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

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- Definition

The maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) originally approved (usually by shareholders and board of directors), net of any subsequent amendments and adjustments, for awards under the equity-based compensation plan. As stock or unit options and equity instruments other than options are awarded to participants, the shares or units remain authorized and become reserved for issuance under outstanding awards (not necessarily vested).

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- Definition

Gross number of share options (or share units) granted during the period.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Weighted average price at which option holders acquired shares when converting their stock options into shares.

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No definition available.

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Weighted average remaining contractual term for vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable or convertible, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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Stock-Based Compensation - Additional Information (Detail) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions			9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 10, 2015 shares	Oct. 30, 2013 shares	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) plan $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2017 shares	Jun. 07, 2018 shares	Dec. 07, 2016 shares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of equity compensation plans \| plan			3
Additional awards granted (in shares)			1,207,984
Weighted-average exercise price (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares			$ 8.74
Options exercisable, weighted average remaining contractual life			5 years 11 months 5 days
2005 Aerie Pharmaceutical Stock Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Additional awards granted (in shares)		0
2013 Omnibus incentive plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Additional awards granted (in shares)	0
Equity awards (in shares)			10,229,068		4,500,000
Inducement Award Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Equity awards (in shares)				874,500		418,000
Employee Stock Option
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Unrecognized compensation expense \| $			$ 78.4
Weighted-average remaining vesting period			2 years 10 months 21 days
Restricted stock
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested awards \| $			$ 20.0
Weighted-average of remaining vesting period			2 years 10 months 24 days
Granted (in shares)			264,999
Vested (in shares)			122,461
Awards outstanding (in shares)			584,124	447,049
Restricted stock \| Minimum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based awards, vesting period			1 year
Restricted stock \| Maximum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based awards, vesting period			4 years
Restricted Stock With Non-Market Performance Conditions
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Granted (in shares)				98,817
Vested (in shares)			19,764
Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Granted (in shares)			104,000
Weighted-average exercise price (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares			$ 54.20
Awards outstanding (in shares)			96,000
Options exercisable, weighted average remaining contractual life			4 years 5 months 27 days