Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Basis of Presentation - Additional Information (Detail)

v2.4.1.9
Basis of Presentation - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
 0 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Nov. 07, 2014
Jul. 28, 2014
Jul. 22, 2014
Feb. 10, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]                
Proceeds from equity offering, net of expenses $ 34,800,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock   $ 11,500,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock $ 4,800,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock $ 51,118,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock $ 5,201,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock    
Working capital         38,600,000biol_WorkingCapital      
Cash and cash equivalents         31,560,000us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue 1,440,000us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue 2,543,000us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue 3,307,000us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue
Net accounts receivable         9,004,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent 11,127,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent    
Payments under revolving lines of credit   2,900,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLinesOfCredit     21,508,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLinesOfCredit 32,104,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLinesOfCredit 14,963,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLinesOfCredit  
Proceeds from equity offering, gross 35,000,000biol_ProceedsFromSaleOfCommonStockGross   12,000,000biol_ProceedsFromSaleOfCommonStockGross 5,000,000biol_ProceedsFromSaleOfCommonStockGross        
Issuance of stock, net, shares 14,162,873us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues   6,250,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues 1,945,525us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues        
Common stock issued, price per share $ 2.39us-gaap_SaleOfStockPricePerShare   $ 1.92us-gaap_SaleOfStockPricePerShare $ 2.57us-gaap_SaleOfStockPricePerShare        
Warrants to purchase common stock 9,205,862biol_WarrantsToPurchaseCommonStock              
Class of Warrant or Right, Exercise Price of Warrants or Rights $ 4.00us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightExercisePriceOfWarrantsOrRights1              
Term of agreement 3 years              
Payments of stock issuance costs $ 235,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfStockIssuanceCosts   $ 462,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfStockIssuanceCosts $ 188,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfStockIssuanceCosts        
Sales Revenue, Net | Credit concentration - largest distributor                
Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]                
Concentration Risk Percentage         6.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= us-gaap_SalesRevenueNetMember
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditConcentrationRiskMember 		5.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= us-gaap_SalesRevenueNetMember
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditConcentrationRiskMember 		3.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= us-gaap_SalesRevenueNetMember
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditConcentrationRiskMember