Investments (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended							3 Months Ended						3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member]		Mar. 31, 2011 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member] Corning Inc. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. [Member] Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Other Shareholders [Member] Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Dow Corning Corporation [Member]		Mar. 31, 2011 Dow Corning Corporation [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Dow Corning Corporation [Member] Corning Inc. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Dow Corning Corporation [Member] The Dow Chemical Company [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Dow Corning Corporation [Member] Commercial Creditors [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Breast Implant Litigation [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Balances due to affiliated companies	$ 13,000,000		$ 14,000,000
Balances due from affiliated companies	77,000,000		77,000,000
Due from related parties					18,000,000			16,000,000
Due to related parties					10,000,000			11,000,000				2,000,000
Ownership interest percentage					50.00%	[1]			50.00%	43.00%	7.00%	50.00%	[1]		50.00%	50.00%
Pre-assessment tax notice				46,000,000
Litigation settlement, principal												1,700,000,000
Auction rate securities												146,000,000
Temporary impairment												4,000,000
Litigation reserve												1,600,000,000
Loss contingency on payments, range of possible loss, minimum																	87,000,000
Loss contingency on payments, range of possible loss, maximum																	281,000,000
Equity in earnings (loss) of affiliated companies	$ 218,000,000	$ 398,000,000			$ 183,000,000		$ 299,000,000					$ 35,000,000		$ 91,000,000				$ 87,000,000
Number of variable interest entities	4

[1] Amounts reflect Corning's direct ownership interests in the respective affiliated companies. Corning does not control any of these entities