Cover - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Feb. 28, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020
Document And Entity Information
Document Type	10-K
Document Annual Report	true
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2020
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Document Transition Report	false
Entity File Number	001-36080
Entity Registrant Name	IVERIC bio, Inc.
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Tax Identification Number	20-8185347
Entity Address, Address Line One	Five Penn Plaza,
Entity Address, Address Line Two	Suite 2372
Entity Address, City or Town	New York,
Entity Address, State or Province	NY
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	10001
City Area Code	212
Local Phone Number	845-8200
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, $0.001 par value
Trading Symbol	ISEE
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	No
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	true
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
ICFR Auditor Attestation Flag	true
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Public Float			$ 442.6
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding (in shares)		90,140,797
Documents Incorporated by Reference	Part III of this Annual Report incorporates by reference information from the definitive Proxy Statement for the registrant's 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which is expected to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission not later than 120 days after the registrant's fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.
Entity Central Index Key	0001410939
Amendment Flag	false
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2020
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY