Business Segment Information (Schedule of Information by Business Segment) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2013	Jul. 31, 2013	Apr. 30, 2013	Jan. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2012	Apr. 30, 2012	Jan. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 411,852	$ 411,993	$ 384,041	$ 379,839	$ 396,301	$ 378,186	$ 344,589	$ 326,060	$ 1,587,725	$ 1,445,136	$ 1,330,835
Operating income (loss)										305,945	283,398	227,556
Other income (expense), net										1,410	229	(963)
Interest expense										(9,168)	(11,771)	(17,342)
Gain on insurance proceeds	19,100				14,100					14,084	5,000	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt											(1,404)	(16,487)
Income before income taxes		61,091	91,264	78,940	80,976	82,639	71,387	62,679	58,747	312,271	275,452	192,764
Identifiable assets		3,137,261				2,941,384				3,137,261	2,941,384	2,624,518
Depreciation expense										95,110	87,235	77,620
Amortization expense										30,239	23,979	20,529
Capital expenditures										178,127	99,779	103,665
Corporate Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales										0	0	0
Operating income (loss)										(44,012)	(38,364)	(32,349)
Identifiable assets		128,395				82,235				128,395	82,235	64,430
Depreciation expense										444	300	210
Amortization expense										0	0	0
Capital expenditures										500	673	247
Coopervision [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales										1,268,319	1,189,244	1,121,138
Operating income (loss)										289,272	262,806	207,485
Identifiable assets		2,376,022				2,251,476				2,376,022	2,251,476	2,206,068
Depreciation expense										88,350	82,829	74,146
Amortization expense										16,710	15,578	14,245
Capital expenditures										170,739	92,459	97,131
CooperSurgical [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales										319,406	255,892	209,697
Operating income (loss)										60,685	58,956	52,420
Identifiable assets		632,844				607,673				632,844	607,673	354,020
Depreciation expense										6,316	4,106	3,264
Amortization expense										13,529	8,401	6,284
Capital expenditures										$ 6,888	$ 6,647	$ 6,287