SEGMENT INFORMATION - Segment Revenues and Profit (Details)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) segment	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 segment	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) segment	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Segment reporting information
Number of operating segments | segment	3		3	3
Number of reportable segments | segment	3		2	3
Total revenues	$ 2,479,600,000	$ 2,786,800,000		$ 7,271,400,000	$ 7,689,300,000
Net (loss) income	(1,219,100,000)	51,700,000		(1,896,000,000)	98,600,000
Amortization and impairments of finite-lived intangible assets	(807,100,000)	(679,200,000)		(2,389,200,000)	(1,629,800,000)
Goodwill impairment	(1,049,000,000)	0		(1,049,000,000)	0	$ 0
Restructuring and integration costs	(20,700,000)	(75,600,000)		(78,200,000)	(274,000,000)
Acquisition-related costs	(36,000,000)	(95,800,000)		(53,900,000)	(108,100,000)
Acquisition-related costs	0	(7,000,000)		(1,800,000)	(30,400,000)
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	(9,000,000)	(3,800,000)		(18,300,000)	(22,600,000)
Other (expense) income	(1,100,000)	(30,200,000)		21,600,000	(213,200,000)
Operating (loss) income	(863,000,000)	447,800,000		(716,300,000)	1,360,300,000
Interest income	2,500,000	700,000		5,500,000	2,500,000
Interest expense	(469,600,000)	(420,200,000)		(1,368,700,000)	(1,130,700,000)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	0		0	(20,000,000)
Foreign exchange (loss) gain and other	(2,300,000)	(34,000,000)		4,600,000	(99,500,000)
(Loss) income before (recovery of) provision for income taxes	(1,332,400,000)	(5,700,000)		(2,074,900,000)	112,600,000
Share-based compensation expense	36,800,000	50,500,000		134,000,000	111,400,000
The Bausch Lomb / International segment | Fair Value Adjustment to Inventory and Identifiable Intangible Assets
Segment reporting information
Net (loss) income	255,000,000	161,000,000		587,000,000	478,000,000
The Bausch Lomb / International segment | 2014 and 2015 Acquisitions
Segment reporting information
Total revenues	67,000,000			226,000,000
Branded Rx
Segment reporting information
Goodwill impairment	(211,000,000)			(211,100,000)
Branded Rx | Fair Value Adjustment to Inventory and Identifiable Intangible Assets
Segment reporting information
Net (loss) income	421,000,000	422,000,000		1,490,000,000	907,000,000
Branded Rx | 2014 and 2015 Acquisitions
Segment reporting information
Total revenues				383,000,000
The U.S. Diversified Products segment | Fair Value Adjustment to Inventory and Identifiable Intangible Assets
Segment reporting information
Net (loss) income	133,000,000	121,000,000		341,000,000	300,000,000
The U.S. Diversified Products segment | 2014 and 2015 Acquisitions
Segment reporting information
Total revenues	2,000,000			113,000,000
Operating Segment
Segment reporting information
Total revenues	2,479,600,000	2,786,800,000		7,271,400,000	7,689,300,000
Net (loss) income	1,244,000,000	1,501,000,000		3,376,800,000	4,021,200,000
Operating Segment | The Bausch Lomb / International segment
Segment reporting information
Total revenues	1,161,800,000	1,118,900,000		3,431,400,000	3,416,300,000
Net (loss) income	345,600,000	382,500,000		979,500,000	1,187,500,000
Operating Segment | Branded Rx
Segment reporting information
Total revenues	847,300,000	1,104,300,000		2,318,500,000	2,579,300,000
Net (loss) income	520,100,000	671,000,000		1,170,800,000	1,504,200,000
Operating Segment | The U.S. Diversified Products segment
Segment reporting information
Total revenues	470,500,000	563,600,000		1,521,500,000	1,693,700,000
Net (loss) income	378,300,000	447,500,000		1,226,500,000	1,329,500,000
Corporate
Segment reporting information
Operating (loss) income	(184,100,000)	(161,600,000)		(524,300,000)	(382,800,000)
Research and development expense	56,000,000	72,000,000		173,000,000	162,000,000
Share-based compensation expense	23,000,000	40,000,000		93,000,000	78,000,000
Segment Reconciling Items
Segment reporting information
Amortization and impairments of finite-lived intangible assets	(807,100,000)	(679,200,000)		(2,389,200,000)	(1,629,800,000)
Goodwill impairment	(1,049,000,000)	0		(1,049,000,000)	0
Restructuring and integration costs	(20,700,000)	(75,600,000)		(78,200,000)	(274,000,000)
Acquisition-related costs	(36,000,000)	(95,800,000)		(53,900,000)	(108,100,000)
Acquisition-related costs	0	(7,000,000)		(1,800,000)	(30,400,000)
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	(9,000,000)	(3,800,000)		(18,300,000)	(22,600,000)
Other (expense) income	$ (1,100,000)	$ (30,200,000)		$ 21,600,000	$ (213,200,000)