Business Segment Information (Schedule of Segment Information) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2015	Apr. 30, 2014	Apr. 30, 2015	Apr. 30, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 434,676us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 412,317us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 879,847us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 817,297us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Operating income (loss)	70,998us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	88,924us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	144,106us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	170,547us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Interest expense	4,692us-gaap_InterestExpense	1,558us-gaap_InterestExpense	8,633us-gaap_InterestExpense	3,214us-gaap_InterestExpense
Other income (expense), net	686us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	455us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	(1,016)us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	(57)us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense
Income before income taxes	66,992	87,821	134,457	167,276
CooperVision [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	359,603	331,082	728,935	657,385
Operating income (loss)	67,715	82,618	140,875	166,764
CooperSurgical [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	75,073	81,235	150,912	159,912
Operating income (loss)	14,183	18,098	27,406	32,255
Corporate Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	(10,900)	(11,792)	(24,175)	(28,472)
Toric Lens [Member] \| CooperVision [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	107,094	104,763	215,558	205,959
Multifocal Lens [Member] \| CooperVision [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	37,895	35,540	80,364	69,235
Single-Use Sphere Lens [Member] \| CooperVision [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	85,105	71,704	169,306	140,476
Non Single-Use Sphere And Other Eye Care Products And Other [Member] \| CooperVision [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 129,509	$ 119,075	$ 263,707	$ 241,715

Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(1)(i))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450988&loc=d3e26243-108391

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.9)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 9

-Article 9

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate amount of income or expense from ancillary business-related activities (that is to say, excluding major activities considered part of the normal operations of the business).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.7)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 7

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=coo_CoopersurgicalMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=coo_CoopervisionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=us-gaap_CorporateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis=coo_MultifocalSoftLensMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis=coo_NonSingleUseSphereAndOtherEyeCareProductsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis=coo_SingleUseSphereSoftLensMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis=coo_ToricSoftLensMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: