Business Segment Information (Schedule of Information by Business Segment) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2015	Apr. 30, 2015	Jan. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2014	Jul. 31, 2014	Apr. 30, 2014	Jan. 31, 2014	Jan. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2014	Oct. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 455,500	$ 461,700	$ 434,700	$ 445,200	$ 468,000	$ 432,500	$ 412,300	$ 405,000		$ 1,797,060	$ 1,717,776	$ 1,587,725
Operating income (loss)											236,671	306,486	305,945
Other expense (income), net											3,083	1,987	(1,410)
Interest expense											18,103	7,965	9,168
Gain on insurance proceeds	$ 19,100									$ 14,100	0	0	14,084
Income before income taxes		36,400	$ 44,600	$ 67,000	$ 67,500	34,900	$ 94,400	$ 87,800	$ 79,500		215,485	296,534	312,271
Identifiable assets		4,460,610				4,458,340					4,460,610	4,458,340	3,137,300
Depreciation expense											139,900	102,500	95,100
Amortization expense											51,500	35,700	30,200
Capital expenditures											243,023	238,065	178,127
Corporate Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales											0	0	0
Operating income (loss)											(49,200)	(51,500)	(44,000)
Identifiable assets		71,200				112,500					71,200	112,500	128,500
Depreciation expense											300	500	400
Amortization expense											0	0	0
Capital expenditures											100	300	500
Coopervision [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales											1,487,800	1,392,600	1,268,300
Operating income (loss)											229,800	289,000	289,300
Identifiable assets		3,714,600				3,699,600					3,714,600	3,699,600	2,376,000
Depreciation expense											134,000	95,500	88,400
Amortization expense											36,600	22,700	16,700
Capital expenditures											238,300	233,600	170,700
CooperSurgical [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales											309,300	325,200	319,400
Operating income (loss)											56,100	69,000	60,600
Identifiable assets		$ 674,800				$ 646,200					674,800	646,200	632,800
Depreciation expense											5,600	6,500	6,300
Amortization expense											14,900	13,000	13,500
Capital expenditures											$ 4,600	$ 4,200	$ 6,900