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Goodwill and intangible assets - Intangible asset impairment charges (Details) - USD ($) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [line items] |  |  |
Intangible asset impairment charges | $ 0 | $ (378,000,000) | $ (57,000,000)
CyPass [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [line items] |  |  |
Intangible asset impairment charges |  | (337,000,000) |
Optonol Ltd. [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [line items] |  |  |
Intangible asset impairment charges |  | 39,000,000 |
Surgical [member] |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [line items] |  |  |
Intangible asset impairment charges | 0 | (378,000,000) |
Vision Care [member] |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [line items] |  |  |
Intangible asset impairment charges | $ 0 | $ 0 |

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- Definition Line items represent concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes of the table. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The amount of impairment loss recognised in profit or loss for intangible assets other than goodwill. [Refer: Impairment loss recognised in profit or loss; Intangible assets other than goodwill] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 38 -IssueDate 2019-01-01 -Paragraph 118 -Subparagraph e -Clause iv -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=38&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_118_e_iv&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2019-03-27 + Details
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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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