Pledged Assets, Short and Long-Term Debt (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2011
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Minimum fixed charge coverage ratio	1.1
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 0	$ 1,053,000
Less current maturities	0	1,053,000
Long-term portion	0	0
Note payable to the estate of the late Dr. Leonard I. Malis [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	0	313,000
Settlement obligation to Iridex Corporation ("Iridex") [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	0	740,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	9,500,000
Current borrowing capacity	9,000,000
Description of variable rate basis	The one-, two- or three-month LIBOR
Basis spread on variable rate (in hundredths)	20.00%
Interest rate at period end (in hundredths)	22.20%
Interest charge on unused portion of facility (in hundredths)	0.20%
Borrowings under credit facility	0
Maturity date	Nov. 30, 2013
Number of financial covenants	2
Maximum leverage ratio	3.75
Leverage ratio	0.67
Fixed charge coverage ratio	2.03
Collateral availability under the line	9,000,000
Equipment Line of Credit [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	1,000,000
Description of variable rate basis	One-month LIBOR
Basis spread on variable rate (in hundredths)	30.00%
Minimum interest rate (in hundredths)	3.50%
Borrowings under credit facility	$ 0
Maturity date	Nov. 30, 2013