2.2.0.25truefalse41311 - Disclosure - Employee Retirement Plans (Estimated future benefit payments, which reflect expected future service) (Details)truefalseIn Millionsfalse1falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis} : Pension Benefits [Member] 12/31/2010 USD ($) $As_Of_12_31_20107http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000024741instant2010-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalsePension Benefits [Member]us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_DefinedBenefitPensionMemberus-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisexplicitMemberUnit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$1false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://www.corning.com/role/disclosureemployeeretirementplansestimatedfuturebenefitpaymentswhichreflectexpectedfutureservicedetails1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis} : Pension Benefits [Member] 12/31/2010 USD ($) $As_Of_12_31_20107http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000024741instant2010-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalsePension Benefits [Member]us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_DefinedBenefitPensionMemberus-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisexplicitMemberUnit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$OthernaNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalsePension Benefits [Member]2false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsInYearOneus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse184000000184falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of the benefits expected to be paid in Year 1.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph f falsefalse20113false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsInYearTwous-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse186000000186falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of the benefits expected to be paid in Year 2.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph f falsefalse20124false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsInYearThreeus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse187000000187falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of the benefits expected to be paid in Year 3.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph f falsefalse20135false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsInYearFourus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse190000000190falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of the benefits expected to be paid in Year 4.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph f falsefalse20146false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsInYearFiveus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse196000000196falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of the benefits expected to be paid in Year 5.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph f falsefalse20157false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsInFiveFiscalYearsThereafterus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse10390000001039falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of the aggregate benefits expected to be paid in the five fiscal years thereafter (the aggregate amount of benefits expected to be paid in years 6 through 10 after the date of the latest statement of financial position).Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph f falsefalse2016-20208false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://www.corning.com/role/disclosureemployeeretirementplansestimatedfuturebenefitpaymentswhichreflectexpectedfutureservicedetails1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis} : Postretirement Benefits [Member] 12/31/2010 USD ($) $As_Of_12_31_20106http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000024741instant2010-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalsePostretirement Benefits [Member]us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiglw_PostretirementBenefitsMemberus-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisexplicitMemberUnit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$OthernaNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalsePostretirement Benefits [Member]9false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsInYearOneus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse8000000080falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of the benefits expected to be paid in Year 1.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph f falsefalse201110false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsInYearTwous-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse8600000086falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of the benefits expected to be paid in Year 2.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph f falsefalse201211false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsInYearThreeus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse9100000091falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of the benefits expected to be paid in Year 3.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph f falsefalse201312false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsInYearFourus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse9600000096falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of the benefits expected to be paid in Year 4.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph f falsefalse201413false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsInYearFiveus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse100000000100falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of the benefits expected to be paid in Year 5.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph f falsefalse201514false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsInFiveFiscalYearsThereafterus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse538000000538falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of the aggregate benefits expected to be paid in the five fiscal years thereafter (the aggregate amount of benefits expected to be paid in years 6 through 10 after the date of the latest statement of financial position).Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph f falsefalse2016-202015false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://www.corning.com/role/disclosureemployeeretirementplansestimatedfuturebenefitpaymentswhichreflectexpectedfutureservicedetails1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis} : Postretirement Benefits [Member] {us-gaap_RegulatoryLiabilityAxis} : Expected Federal Subsidy Payments [Member] 12/31/2010 USD ($) $As_Of_12_31_2010112http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000024741instant2010-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalsePostretirement Benefits [Member]us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiglw_PostretirementBenefitsMemberus-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisexplicitMemberfalsefalseExpected Federal Subsidy Payments [Member]us-gaap_RegulatoryLiabilityAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiglw_ExpectedFederalSubsidyPaymentsMemberus-gaap_RegulatoryLiabilityAxisexplicitMemberUnit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$OthernaNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalsePostretirement Benefits [Member] | Expected Federal Subsidy Payments [Member]16false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsInYearOneus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse60000006falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of the benefits expected to be paid in Year 1.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph f falsefalse201117false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsInYearTwous-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse70000007falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of the benefits expected to be paid in Year 2.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph f falsefalse201218false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsInYearThreeus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse70000007falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of the benefits expected to be paid in Year 3.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph f falsefalse201319false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsInYearFourus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse80000008falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of the benefits expected to be paid in Year 4.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph f falsefalse201420false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsInYearFiveus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse80000008falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of the benefits expected to be paid in Year 5.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph f falsefalse201521false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsInFiveFiscalYearsThereafterus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse4800000048falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of the aggregate benefits expected to be paid in the five fiscal years thereafter (the aggregate amount of benefits expected to be paid in years 6 through 10 after the date of the latest statement of financial position).Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph f falsefalse2016-2020121Employee Retirement Plans (Estimated future benefit payments, which reflect expected future service) (Details) (USD $)MillionsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue