Cover - shares	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	May 01, 2020
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	10-Q
Document Quarterly Report	true
Document Period End Date	Mar. 31, 2020
Document Transition Report	false
Entity Registrant Name	Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Entity Incorporation, State	DE
Entity Tax Identification Number	20-3109565
Entity Address, Street Address	4301 Emperor Boulevard, Suite 400
Entity Address, City	Durham
Entity Address, State	NC
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	27703
City Area Code	919
Local Phone Number	237-5300
Title of each class	Shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share
Trading Symbol(s)	AERI
Name of each exchange on which registered	NASDAQ
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Smaller reporting company	false
Emerging growth company	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding (in shares)		46,468,255
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Amendment Flag	false
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2020
Entity CIK	0001337553
Entity File Number	001-36152