Investments (Samsung Corning Precision) (Details)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended								9 Months Ended					1 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2010 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2010 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member] USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2010 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member] USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2011 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member] USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2010 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member] USD ($)		Dec. 31, 2010 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2009 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member]	Sep. 30, 2009 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2007 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member] Samsung Corning Co., Ltd. [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2009 Corning Inc. [Member] Corsam [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Corning Inc. [Member] PPG Industries, Inc. [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Other Shareholders [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. [Member]	Jan. 31, 2011 SGI And Creditors [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2011 SGI And Creditors [Member] KRW	Aug. 24, 1999 SGI And Creditors [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 Corning Inc. [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Net sales						$ 954,000,000		$ 1,324,000,000		$ 3,304,000,000		$ 3,730,000,000
Gross profit		978,000,000	724,000,000	2,741,000,000	2,282,000,000	644,000,000		1,039,000,000		2,391,000,000		2,891,000,000
Net income attributable to affiliate						457,000,000		791,000,000		1,705,000,000		2,207,000,000
Corning's equity in earnings of affiliate companies		324,000,000	504,000,000	1,150,000,000	1,447,000,000	229,000,000		394,000,000		853,000,000		1,102,000,000
Corning purchases from affiliated companies								12,000,000		41,000,000		33,000,000
Dividends received from affiliated companies										205,000,000		173,000,000
Royalty income from affiliated companies						51,000,000		73,000,000		176,000,000		204,000,000
Corning transfers of machinery and equipment to affiliate at cost						34,000,000	[1]	25,000,000	[1]	95,000,000	[1]	86,000,000	[1]
Ownership interest																	50.00%		50.00%	50.00%	7.00%	43.00%				50.00%
Due from related parties						35,000,000				35,000,000				29,000,000
Due to related parties						11,000,000				11,000,000				5,000,000
Pre-assessment tax notice	45,000,000
Number of co-defendants				30														2
Number of other creditors		13		13
Number of affiliates		28		28
Estimated liability																									1,950,000,000
Litigation settlement, principal																							550,000,000	600,000,000,000
Litigation settlement, delayed interest																								20,000,000,000
Payment due to plaintiffs						1,300,000,000				1,300,000,000
Number of shares in SLI to be disposed										2,334,045
Less number of shares previously sold						1,165,955				1,165,955
Default rate of interest															6.00%
Cash contributed to Corsam																$ 124,000,000

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